INDIAN    LIFE    AND    INDIAN   LORE 

INDIAN  DAYS 
OF  THE  LONG  AGO 


The  camp  of  the  Salish 


INDIAN  LIFE  AND  INDIAN  LORE 


INDIAN  DAYS 

OF  THE 

LONG  AGO 


By  Edward  S.  Curtis 

Author  of  "The  North  American  Indian 


ILLUSTRATED  WITH  PHOTOGRAPHS  BY  THE 
AUTHOR  AND  DRAWINGS  BY  F.  N.WILSON 


YONKERS'ON'HUDSON.NEWYORK 

WORLD  BOOK  COMPANY 
1914^ 


Copyright,  19U,  by  World  Book  Company.    Copyright,  19U,  in  Great 
Britain.     All  rights  of  reproduction  and  translation  are  reserved. 


niillTJiTII'If'RTHTITilllflTTiW 

SmvMA    AAA   a    f'     A    s    ^    ^  A    ^  i\    h    n    AftfiAAAA/(nAft/\A/\/\ 


FOREWORD 

This  little  book  was  written  in  the  hope  that 
it  would  give  a  more  intimate  view  of  Indian  life 
in  the  old  days,  in  the  days  when  to  the  far  west- 
ern tribes  the  white  race  was  but  a  rumor,  and 
buffalo  roamed  the  plains  in  countless  numbers. 
A  further  desire  was  to  call  attention  to  the 
great  divergencies  in  Indian  life,  the  number  of 
languages,  and  the  striking  differences  in  dress 
and  habits.  The  pictures,  as  well  as  the  text, 
will  emphasize  this. 

We  have  been  prone  to  regard  Indians  as  be- 
ing without  religion  or  spiritual  life.  Instead 
of  being  without  a  religion,  they  were  influenced 
in  every  important  act  of  their  life  by  spiritual 
beliefs  and  religious  practices.  This  fact  is 
touched  upon  not  as  a  pedantic  lecture  but  rather 
as  we  see  its  influence  on  the  characters  of  the 
story  and  in  the  folk-tales.  I  have  tried  to  show 
how  their  religious  beliefs  influence  the  character 
building  of  the  youth.  Simple  animistic  beliefs, 
which  bring  the  spirit  beings  close,  are  easy  of 
comprehension,  and  the  belief  in  the  ever-present 
nearness  has  a  strong  influence  upon  the  chil- 
dren. What  could  be  more  powerful  in  char- 
acter building  than  the  mountain  vigil  of  Ku- 

kiisim?     This  story  of  fasting  and  prayer  is  not 

vii 


2i)Si^4.'y 


viii  Foreword 

a  created  play  of  words,  but  is  given  practically 
as  told  by  those  who  have  thus  fasted. 

The  character  He  Who  Was  Dead  And  Lives 
Again  has  its  historical  prototype  in  a  wanderer, 
a  dreamer,  a  cataleptic  who  was  able  at  will  to 
throw  himself  into  a  state  of  trance;  a  leader  in 
spreading  the  cult  of  hypnotic  religious  practices 
of  which  the  great  Siouan  Ghost  Dance  of  1889 
was  an  example. 

The  Huron,  introduced  to  give  a  glimpse  of 
the  life  of  the  eastern  Indians,  is  fully  as  logical, 
since  in  the  Flathead  country — the  central  scene 
of  the  story — there  are  many  direct  descendants 
of  the  old  eastern  wanderers  who  came  to  this 
region  at  the  date  of  the  story.  In  fact,  it  was 
the  old  wanderers  from  the  east  who  gave  the 
thought  of  the  oncoming  hordes  of  white  people. 

In  brief,  the  story  is  told  quickly  from  a  full 
heart,  drawn  from  a  store  of  thoughts  and  lore, 
gathered  through  half  a  lifetime  of  intimate  con- 
tact with  many  tribes  in  many  lands.  It  has 
been  a  labor  of  love,  and  I  can  only  hope  that  my 
readers  will  from  the  reading  derive  a  small  part 
of  the  happiness  that  I  have  derived  from  its 
writing. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Foreword vii 

Prologue       1 

Morning   in    Camp 2 

In  the  Forest  . 10 

A   Dispute 17 

Greeting  the  Strangers 23 

The  Council  Lodge 32 

The  Story  of  the  Two  Strangers 40 

The   Sweat-Bath 56 

Ways  of  the  Clayoquot 61 

He  Who  Made  All  Things  First 76 

Adventures  of  Coyote 83 

Four  Moons  Tells  About  the  Mandan    ...  96 

Hunting  the  Seals    . 106 

The  Snake  Dance 114 

The  Snake  Brothers 124 

The  Girl  and  the  Witch  People 129 

Breaking  Camp 137 

Pitching   Camp 143 

An  Elk  Hunt 152 

Barefoot  on  Ice  and  Snow 159 

The   Story   of    Corn-Smut    Girl 163 

A  Buffalo  Hunt 167 

Scouting 171 

A  Strange  Trail 180 

ix 


X  Contents 

PAGE 

The  Wolves  and  the  Deer 187 

A  Camp  Discovered 194 

Visit  of  the  Pierced  Noses 199 

Home   Again 205 

In  the  Spring  Time 208 

To  THE  Mountain  of  Fasting 211 

The  Fast 215 


INDIAN    DAYS    OF    THE    LONG    AGO 


INDIAN  DAYS  OF  THE 
LONG  AGO 


PROLOGUE 

The  camp  of  Lone  Pine,  chief  of  the 
Salish,  or  Flatheads,  was  on  the  banks 
of  the  Red  Willow  River,  a  beautiful 
stream  flowing  through  the  forests  of  the 
Bitterroot  Mountains,  in  what  we  now 
call  western  Montana.  Its  cold,  trans- 
lucent waters  come  from  the  springs 
and  snows  far  up  among  the  mountain 
crags. 

Beautiful  lodges  or  tepees  made  from 
the  dressed  skins  of  buffalo  and  elk 
were  scattered  everywhere  among  the 
pines. 

The  village  was  like  the  camps  of 
hundreds  of  other  Indian  chiefs  or  head 
men,  which  stood  beside  the  forest 
stream,  by  the  quiet  brook  of  the  open 
plain,  by  the  lake  in  the  mountains, 
or  on  the  grassy  bank  of  the  prairie 
lake. 

A  camp  site  was  never  adopted  by 
chance,  but  was  chosen  for  a  definite 
purpose.  In  some  cases  the  object  was 
fishing;  in  others  to  hunt  the  buffalo, 
or  elk  and  deer;  or  to  dig  roots  and 
gather  berries  and  other  wild  fruits. 
1 


^"'''" MORNING   IN   CAMP 


The  hour  is  that  of  a  new  day,  just  before  the 
sun  lifts  itself  from  the  forested  peaks  to  the 

eastward.  Here  and 
there  low  voices  of 
mothers  speak  to  chil- 
dren; a  woman  calls  to 
another  to  be  awake, 
and  not  to  hold  too  long 
upon  the  sleep.  Now 
the  smoke  curls  upward 
from  the  lodge-tops, 
and  from  fires  built  in 
the  open  just  outside. 
To  the  nostrils  comes 
the  fragrant  odor  of 
burning  pine.  Soon  the 
savory  smell  of  roast- 
ing meat  will  tell  that 
the  women  are  prepar- 
ing the  morning  meal. 
There  is  a  hushed 
feeling  of  excitement 
and  anticipation.  Only 
yesterday  rumor  came 
to  the  chief  of  two 
strange  wanderers  who  on  this  day  would  reach 
the  camp.  In  color  they  were  said  to  be  like  the 
Salish,  but  their  words  were  different.  They 
told  of  strange  people,  of  strange  lands;  they 
sang  unknown  and  curious  songs.     They  talked 


Morning  in  Camp 


with  the  spirit  people,  and  claimed  much  knowl- 
edge of  the  spirit  world.  But  most  wonder- 
ful of  all,  they  said  they  could  see  into  the 
future,  and  they  made  prophecy  of  disaster  to 
all  the  tribes.  Long  into  the  night  just  past 
had  Lone  Pine  and  his  head  men  sat  about  the 
council  fire  and  discussed  the  strange  rumor. 

With  the  waking  of  the  camp,  Lone  Pine, 
dressed  in  his  trappings  of  a  chief  at  ceremonial 
times,  came  from  his  lodge.  He  mounted  his 
horse,  and  rode  slowly  about  the  camp,  acting  as 
his  own  herald. 

In  a  loud  voice  he  cried:  "Hear  ye!  Hear  ye! 
Chiefs!  Men!  Women!  Boys!  Awaken!  Do 
not  hold  on  to  your  sleep  like  lazy  ones,  but  lis- 
ten to  my  voice!  This  is  a  great  day  for  us! 
The  two  strange  men  with  wonderful  stories  will 
reach  our  camp  before  the  sun  sinks.  It  is  said 
that  one  of  these  men  was  born  by  the  Big  Water 
from  where  the  West  Wind  comes.  Not  alone 
does  he  tell  us  of  the  land  of  the  West  Wind, 


Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


where  the  Sun  sleeps,  but  he  has  traveled  to  the 
land  of  the  South  Wind,  which  brings  summer. 

He  has  seen  curious  peo- 
ple, in  color  like  ourselves, 
but  living  in  strange  ways. 
"The  other  wanderer 
comes  from  the  Big  Water 
of  the  Ea:st  Wind,  where 
the  Sun  rises.  He  has 
wandered  for  many  win- 
ters, and  has  seen  strange 
people  and  their  ways.  Of 
all  these  people  they  will 
tell  us. 

"Chiefs,  my  words  are 
heavy  with  meaning  to  our 
nation.  The  stories  these 
wanderers  tell  are  of  many  brown  people  like 
ourselves.  But,  besides,  they  tell  of  a  people 
with  skins  of  snow:  a  people  as  countless  as 
the  sands,  who  will  take  our  land,  steal  our 
daughters,  and  try  to  teach  us  new  ways.  It  is. 
a  story  of  war,  misery,  and  sickness  to  our 
nation! 

"Women,  make  clean  the  camp  and  our  lodges ! 
Prepare  much  food,  that  our  guests  and  our  men 
may  have  a  great  feast!  Young  men  and  war- 
riors, dress  as  is  fitting  for  greeting  the  visitors 
to  our  camp!  Your  chief  has  spoken!  I  have 
said  it!" 

Kukusim,  the  son  of  Lone  Pine,  had  sat  in  the 


Lone  Pine 


Morning  in  Camp  5 

shadows  at  the  council  fire  on  the  previous  night 
and  had  hstened  wide-eyed  to  the  words  of  his 
father  and  the  head  men. 
He  was  early  awake,  at- 
tending to  the  words  of 
the  chief  as  he  rode  about 
the  camp  on  his  proud 
war-horse.  Many  of  his 
father's  words  were  of 
matters  too  deep  for  his 
understanding,  but  he 
realized  that  this  was  a 
great  event  in  the  life  of 
his  people,  and  he  wished 
that  he,  like  his  elder 
brother,  were  man  grown, 
that  he  might  be  counted 
among  the  warriors, 
among  the  men  who 
could  protect  the  people 
however  great  the  dan- 
ger. He  often  dreamed 
of  performing  some  great  feat  in  battle  and  hav- 
ing his  name  changed  from  Kukusim,  the  Star,  to 
something  more  warlike,  such  as  Kills  First,  or 
Hunts  The  Enemy. 

Soon  his  mother  was  saying:  "My  son,  come 
with  Sister,  and  eat  food.  Eat  plenty,  that 
you  may  grow  up  strong.  Remember  your 
grandfather's  teachings,  and  do  not  make  a 
loud  noise.     If  you  do,  no  one  will  take  you 


Kukusim 


6  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

for    children    of    a 
chief." 

The  mother  was  of 
the  Pierced  Nose 
tribe/  who  lived  far  to 
the  southwest.  She  was 
very  proud  of  her  chil- 
dren. One,  a  boy  of 
fifteen  winters,  was  al- 
ready a  man  allowed 
to  go  on  hunting  and 
war  expeditions  with 
his  father.  Kukiisim, 
who  was  less  than  ten, 
still  clung  to  his  mother 
and  the  interests  of 
her  life.  The  sister, 
Blue  Bird,  had  come  into  the  world  two  winters 
later,  and  was  still  his  companion.  Baby  was 
a  boy,  and  had  been  with  them  but  two  sum- 
mers, and  young  as  Blue  Bird  was,  she  called 
herself  "little  mother"  to  the  baby. 

At  breakfast  time  Baby  was  still  asleep,  so 
Blue  Bird  was  carefree.  Kukiisim  and  she  sat 
close  together  in  the  family  circle  about  the  food, 
which  was  in  two  or  three  horn  and  wooden 
dishes  placed  upon  the  ground.    The  mother  saw 

^  This  tribe  is  known  to  us  as  the  Nez  Perces,  which  is  French 
for  "Pierced  Noses."  Many  of  the  men  in  this  tribe  wore  a  slen- 
der shell,  shaped  like  a  dog's  tooth,  in  a  hole  cut  through  the 
partition  between  the  nostrils.  Therefore  other  tribes  called  them 
the  Pierced  Noses. 


Morning  in  Camp 


that  they  had  plenty  of  the  best  of  the  food.  Be- 
sides, she  made  a  point  of  giving  them  some  of 
the  roast  elk  ribs,  on  which  there  was  little  meat, 
admonishing  them:  "Gnaw  the  meat  from  these 
bones,  children.  It  will  make  your  teeth  strong 
and  white." 

While  Kukusim  was  picking  the  meat  from 
his  rib  bone,  his  favorite  dog  crept  up  and  coaxed 
for  it.  The  boy  watched  his  mother,  and  when 
she  was  looking  in  another  direction,  he  gave  his 
bone  to  the  dog.  Just  at  that  moment  his  mother 
looked  around,  and  seeing  himself  detected, 
Kukusim  exclaimed,  "Mother,  my  dog  was  very 
hungry!" 

Like  a  true  Indian  mother,  she  laughed  as  she 
scolded  him,  and  as  punishment  she  gave  him 
no  more  meat  for  his  breakfast.  But  Blue 
Bird,  sorry  for  Brother,  shared  her  food  with 
him. 

As  soon  as  the  two  children  had  finished  their 
morning  meal,  Kukusim  said:  "Mother,  I  shall 


8  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

find  my  friends   Scarface,  Yellow  Hawk,  and 
Rabbit,  and  we  will  take  our  bows  and  arrows 

to  the  forest  to  hunt 
birds,  squirrels,  and  rab- 
bits." 

Before  he  left  the 
lodge.  Sister  whispered 
to  him:  "I  shall  get  my 
friends  and  we  will 
make  a  play  camp  just 
at  the  edge  of  the  woods. 
When  you  are  coming 
home,  stop  there  and 
show  us  what  you  have 
killed,  and  we  will  play 
at  cooking  it  for  our 
husbands." 


An  Indian  sweat  lodge 


Before  breakfast  Kukusim  had  gone  with 
his  father  to  bathe  in  the  river.  This  was  a 
daily  practise,  not  only  to  keep  their  bodies 
clean,  but  to  harden  them  so  that  they  could 
endure  cold  and  changing  weather  without  dis- 
comfort or  illness.  It  was  summer  time,  but 
owing  to  the  snows  in  the  mountains  and  the 
cold  nights,  the  water  was  icy  cold.  This, 
however,  did  not  discourage  the  Indian  chief, 
who  with  his  son  plunged  in  and  swam  about 
for  a  time.  They  stepped  out  on  the  bank, 
and  as  the  day  was  warm,  sat  in  the  sun  and 
dried  themselves.  Had  it  been  a  winter  day, 
they  would  have   wrapped   a  blanket   or   robe 


Morning  in  Camp  9 

about  them.  Many  Indian  tribes  bathed  in  this 
way  every  day,  summer  and  winter.  In  some 
places  they  had  to  cut  holes  in  the  thick  ice,  but 
still  the  daily  bath  w^as  not  omitted.  In  that 
way  the  boys  grew  up  with  sturdy  bodies,  able 
to  withstand  all  sorts  of  hardship. 


IN  THE  FOREST 


Soon  the  boys  were  away  to  the  forest.     Each 
carried  a  small  bow,  and  in  a  skin  quiver  were 

his  arrows.  Some  of  these 
had  points  of  sharpened 
stone  or  bone;  some  had 
wooden  points;  others 
were  blunt  ended,  for 
bringing  down  game 
without  killing  it  so  that 
the  boy  could  capture  it 
alive.  The  boys  wore  no 
clothing  but  a  loin-cloth 
of  skin,  with  or  without 
the  hair  upon  it.  This 
not  only  hardened  and  strengthened  their  bodies, 
but  left  them  free  to  chase  their  prey. 

The  chief's  son,  Kukusim,  was  looked  up  to 
as  the  leader,  so  he  called  out,  "Let  us  go  to  the 
rabbit  traps,  and  see  what  we  have  caught." 

Scarf  ace  and  Yellow  Hawk  agreed  at  once: 
*'That  is  what  we  will  do.  There  will  be  some- 
thing in  at  least  one  snare." 

But  Rabbit  declined  to  go,  saying  that  he  did 
not  care  to  see  the  snares. 

"We  know,"  chaffed  Yellow  Hawk,  "why 
Rabbit  does  not  want  to  go  with  us  to  the  snares. 
He  is  named  after  the  rabbit,  and  he  is  afraid  we 
have  caught  one." 

Kukusim,  always  careful  of  the  feelings  of 
his  companions,  quickly  arranged  the  matter  by 

10 


In  the  Forest 


11 


suggesting  that  Rabbit  and  Scarface  go  toward 
the  grove  of  the  partridges,  while  he  and  Yel- 
low Hawk  visited  the  snares. 

With  Yellow  Hawk  close  behind  him,  Ku- 
kiisim  folio w^ed  the  trail 
along  the  river.  Then  turn- 
ing off,  he  walked  through 
the  forest  to  the  higher  and 
more  open  ground,  where 
the  rabbits  lived,  and  where 
the  boys  had  their  snares. 

Said  Yellow  Hawk :  "Ku- 
kusim,  I  do  not  think  we 
shall  have  any  rabbits  to- 
day. I  think  Rabbit  has 
given  us  bad  luck  by  wish- 
ing that  we  might  not  get 
any  in  our  traps.  After  this  we  will  not  take 
him  with  us  when  we  want  rabbits." 

The  first  snare  they  found  sprung,  but 
empty.  They  reset  it  carefully  and  went  on 
their  way.  The  second  one  was  broken  and 
pushed  aside. 

"What  has  done  this,  Yellow  Hawk?"  whis- 
pered Kukusim.  "Let  us  look  closely  and  see. 
The  ferns  and  grass  are  broken  in  this  direction. 
We  will  follow." 

They  came  to  a  wet,  soft  piece  of  ground, 
where  they  saw  great  tracks  in  the  soft 
earth. 

"It  was  a  bear,"  exclaimed  Kukusim.     "His 


12  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


The  river  near  the  camp 

tracks  are  broader  than  my  two  hands, 
and  beside  them  are  the  tracks  of  a  baby 
bear." 

''Let  us  go  back  out  of  this  thicket,"  exclaimed 
Yellow  Hawk.  "Perhaps  the  mother  bear  and 
her  cub  are  still  close." 

Kukusim  felt  the  cold  creeping  up  and  down 
his  back,  but  being  a  chief's  son,  he  knew  that  he 
must  be  brave  and  show  courage  whether  he  had 
it  or  not.  So,  though  his  knees  were  shaking  and 
his  voice  was  hushed,  he  insisted  that  they  go  on 
to  the  next  trap. 

"Let  us  walk  quietly,"  he  cautioned.  "Then 
if  the  bear  is  about,  she  will  not  hear." 

Suddenly  Kukusim  stopped  in  the  trail. 
"Look,  Yellow  Hawk,  what  is  that?"  he  whis- 
pered. 

There,  beside  the  trail  in  front  of  them,  the 
two  boys  saw  a  bear  digging  skunk-cabbage.  Her 
head  was  so  far  down  in  the  hole  she  had  made 
that  she  had  not  heard  them.  Then  the  cub 
caught  sight  of  them  and  crowded  close  up  to 
the  mother  bear,  who  knew  by  this  that  there 


In  the  Forest 


13 


was  danger.  She  lifted  her  head,  and  with  a 
snort  jumped  into  the  brush. 

For  a  moment  Kukiisim  and  Yellow  Hawk 
stood  close  together  without  speaking.  Then 
Kukiisim  proudly  boasted:  "I  was  not  afraid! 
See  how  the  bear  ran !  Let  us  go  on  now,  to  our 
next  snare,  and  if  there  is  nothing  in  that  we 
shall  know  that  the  wishes  of  Rabbit  have  been 
heard." 

This  was  their  fourth  snare.  They  had  been 
taught  by  the  old  men  that  in  setting  traps  they 
should  have  four,  as  this  was  the  sacred  number 
of  the  four  winds  and  the  four  cardinal  points. 
The  fourth  trap  also  was  sprung  and  empty. 
Convinced  now  that  good  fortune  was  not  with 
them  in  snaring  rabbits,  they  counseled  what 
was  to  be  done. 

"If  this  happened  to  our  fathers,"  urged  Ku- 
kiisim, "they  would  sing  songs  to  drive  away 
the  evil  and  to  bring  good  fortune." 

"We  know  many  songs,  but  we  do  not  know 


14 


Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


a  song  for  bringing  us  good  fortune  in  snaring 
rabbits,"  protested  Yellow  Hawk. 

"I  have  heard  my  father  say  that  the  best 
songs  are  those  which  are  made  in  the  forest," 
answered  Kukiisim.  "Let  us  make  a  song  to  the 
rabbits." 

Still  fearful  of  the  bears.  Yellow  Hawk  sug- 
gested that  they  also  make  a  song  to  the  mother 
bear.  So  they  made  up  a  song  to  the  bear,  and 
another  to  the  rabbits,  and  sang  them  four  times. 
This  is  what  they  sang  to  the  bear: 

'*  Shaggy  One,  who  walks  hke  a  man ! 
Long  Claws,  who  digs  Hke  a  woman ! 
Be  happy,  be  not  angry  with  us ! " 

And  this  is  the  way  the  music  is  written 
down: 


Andante     > 


#-#-#-  -€-±  -#-#-•-  -•-•-•-  -•- 


In  the  Forest  15 

And  thus  they  sang  to  the  rabbits: 

*' White  Tails,  swift  are  your  feet. 
Come  to  our  traps,  for  we  wish  your  bodies. 
Fine  feathers  then  will  we  give  to  your  spirits." 

And    this    is    the    way    the    music    is    written 
down : 


:|: 


Moderato    > 


& 


^ 


rit.  > 


-• « # — 0—»—\-m—m—m « • A 


a  tempo 


'- N /=S-7^=V- 


-\^-S-/     S_>' 


"Now  let  us  find  the  other  boys,"  said  Kukii- 
sim.  "But  the  songs  belong  to  us,  and  we  will 
not  tell  about  them." 

After  traveling  through  the  woods  for  a  time, 
they  came  to  a  small  opening  in  the  pines.  In 
the  center  of  this  was  a  large  rock,  and  here  they 
stopped  to  find  some  sign  from  their  companions. 
Sure  enough,  there  on  the  flat  surface  of  the 
stone  were  a  few  broken  twigs,  two  brown  peb- 
bles, and  a  freshly  peeled  piece  of  bark  with 
two  or  three  black  marks  upon  it. 


16 


Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


To  a  white  boy  this  would  have  meant  noth- 
ing. Even  with  the  Indian  boy  there  was  much 
question  as  to  just  what  the  message  was,  but 
with  some  study  they  made  out  that  two  part- 
ridges had  been  killed  with  arrows,  two  deer 
tracks  seen,  a  badger  chased  into  his  hole,  and 
that  the  other  boys  had  gone  to  the  lake  for  duck 
nests. 


A  DISPUTE 


In  a  short  time  Kukusim  and  Yellow  Hawk, 
who  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  them,  were 
with  their  companions  on  the  rush-grown  shore 
of  the  lake.  Several  nests  had  already  been 
found,  but  it  was  not  the  purpose  to  take 
the  eggs,  because  in  two  moons  these  eggs 
would  be  plump  yoimg  ducks,  easy  of  capture. 
Tiring  of  the  search  for  duck  nests,  they  de- 
cided to  go  to  a  small  creek  that  emptied  into 
the  river.  Here  there  were  always  trout  to  be 
taken. 

In  the  tiny  stream,  so  narrow  that  in  many 
places  they  could  jump  across  it,  they  looked 
for  the  deep,  dark  pools.  There  they  lay  down 
on  their  stomachs  on  a  sharp  bank  or  overhang- 
ing log,  and  extended  their  arms  fully  into  the 
water.  Soon  the  trout  swam  close  by.  The 
boys  slipped  their  hands  gently  under  the  fish, 

17 


18 


Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


and  suddenly  closed  their  fingers  about  the 
gills. 

Before  long  each  boy  had  enough  fish  for 
an  ample  meal  for  his  family,  and  they  decided 
to  go  down  to  the  river  for  a  swim. 

The  morning  bath  with  father  and  the  other 
men  was  merely  a  ceremony;  for  a  lark  it  must 
be  a  warm  afternoon,  and  just  boys.  The  water 
was  icy  cold,  but  they  were  accustomed  to  that. 
They  dived,  and  they  played  all  sorts  of  games. 
They  were  like  fish  in  the  water,  for  their  par- 
ents had  taken  them  to  the  stream  when  they 
were  mere  babies,  and  as  they  learned  to  walk 
and  talk  they  also  learned  to  swim.  After  their 
frolic  they  sat  on  the  bank  in  the  sun  to  warm, 
and  then  swam  again. 

Something  besides  the  lowering  sun  reminded 
the  boys  that  the  day  was  passing.  In  the  ex- 
citement of  play,  food  at  midday  might  be  easily 
overlooked,  but  when  the  day  was  done  they 
were  always  ready  for  the  evening  meal. 


A  Dispute  19 

The  four  comrades  had  not,  however,  gone 
entirely  without  food  since  breakfast,  as  dur- 
ing the  day  they  had  found  many  varieties  of 
bulbous  roots,  tender  plant  stalks,  and  luscious 
berries. 

As  they  started  for  the  camp,  they  remem- 
bered the  excitement  there,  and  the  expected 
visit  of  the  two  strange  men. 

"Let  us  hurry,  that  we  may  reach  camp  before 
these  men  arrive,"  urged  Kukusim,  "and  to- 
night while  they  are  in  council  we  will  creep  back 
in  the  dark  shadows  where  we  shall  not  be  seen, 
and  listen.  Let  us  hear  what  these  men  are  to 
tell." 

Now  it  must  be  remembered  that  almost  every 
Indian  tribe  had  a  language  of  its  own,  dif- 
ferent from  the  speech  of  its  neighbors,  and 
either  largely  or  totally  unintelligible  to  them. 
So  the  Indians  of  the  prairies  and  the  mountains 
invented  a  system  of  signs,  by  which  they  could 
converse  rapidly  and  accurately,  just  as  deaf 
mutes  talk  with  their  hands.  The  sign  language 
is  still  used  when  Indians  of  different  tribes 
meet. 

"Will  they  talk  with  our  own  words?"  asked 
Scarf  ace. 

"No,"  replied  Kukusim,  "my  father  says  they 
will  talk  only  with  their  hands." 

Rabbit  complained,  "I  do  not  understand 
much  of  the  hand-talk." 

"That  is  your  own  fault,  Rabbit,"  answered 


20  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

Kukusim.  "You  are  lazy  and  will  not  try.  Your 
father  says  in  council:  'My  son  sleeps  while  I 
try  to  teach  him  to  dance.  His  feet  do  not  play 
in  the  air,  but  drag  like  stones  on  the  ground.' 
Rabbit,  you  will  never  make  a  great  warrior 
like  your  father  unless  you  wake  up!" 

Rabbit's  face  burned  with  anger  and  humilia- 
tion. "Kukusim,  you  think  you  are  smart  be- 
cause your  father  is  a  chief,  and  the  men  say  you 
can  hand-talk  like  old  men,  and  dance  so  that 
all  the  people  want  to  watch  you.  When  it  comes 
to  the  day  of  the  war  party,  that  dancing  and 
hand-talk  will  not  get  the  honors  that  make 
chiefs." 

"Rabbit,  your  feet  will  be  as  heavy  in  war  as 
they  are  in  dancing,  unless  you  listen  to  your 
father  and  be  awake.  And  now  that  I  have  said 
my  hard  words,  I  will  make  you  happy  by  prom- 
ising to  tell  you  tomorrow  all  that  is  said  tonight, 
and  to  help  you  in  learning  to  talk  with  your 
hands." 

At  the  edge  of  the  woods  they  passed  the  play 
lodge  of  Blue  Bird  and  her  companions.  It  was 
just  like  the  real  lodges,  only  much  smaller,  and 
here  the  girls  spent  hours  playing  as  little 
mothers. 

Catching  sight  of  the  boys.  Blue  Bird  called: 
"Bring  us  your  game!  We  will  cook  it,  and  pre- 
tend that  you  are  men  and  hunters,  bringing 
home  to  their  wives  the  game  and  fish  that  they 
have  caught." 


A  Dispute 


21 


"We  will  give  you  a  few  of  the  smaller  fish, 
Sister,  but  all  the  rest  we  will  take  to  our  mothers 
and  grandmothers,  to  show  them  that  we  are 
really  becoming  men,  and  can  hunt  the  game 
and  catch  the  fish  as  well  as  our  fathers  and 
grandfathers  did." 

So  with  some  banter  and  boy-like  teasing,  they 
went  on  to  the  camp.  As  they  passed  each  lodge, 
they  caught  sounds  of  an  unusual  nature.  Words 
were  low  and  earnest,  and  they  could  see  war- 
riors passing  from  lodge  to  lodge,  carrying  gar- 
ments and  ornaments  worn  only  on  great  occa- 
sions, such  as  a  dance  or  a  feast.  When  they 
caught  glimpses  of  the  interior  of  a  lodge,  they 
saw  men  dressing  in  ceremonial  costumes  of 
white  deerskin  and  gay  feathers,  and  men  and 
women  painting  their  faces. 

The  camp  was  alive  with  expectation.  The 
boy  hunters  quickly  caught  the  spirit,  and  almost 
forgot  that  they  were  bringing  their  mothers  the 
game  of  a  day  in  the  forest. 


22  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

At  the  lodge  of  the  chiefs  Kiikusim's  mother 
greeted  them  with  a  smile,  and  encouragingly 
said,   "Really,   our  sons   are   becoming  men!" 

Then  she  warned  them  not  to  make  loud 
noises,  so  as  to  disturb  the  chief  and  his  head 
men,  who  were  in  council. 

"The  strangers  are  coming,  and  there  is  much 
need  of  serious  talk,"  she  said. 


GREETING  THE  STRANGERS 

KuKUSiM  slipped  up  to  the  door  of  the  lodge 
and  looked  in.  His  father,  in  his  medicine  ^  cos- 
tume, was  sitting  in  his  accustomed  place  of 
honor  at  the  back  of  the  lodge,  and  on  both 
sides  of  him  were  other  chiefs,  each  dressed 
in  his  best  garments.  Their  words  were  low 
and  quiet.     Lone  Pine  filled  the  pipe,  lighted  it, 

*The  word  "medicine"  here  means  supernatural,  or  anything 
supposedly  of  a  supernatural  nature.  A  medicine-man  is  one  who 
is  believed  to  cure  illness  by  magic,  through  the  power  given  him 
by  some  supernatural  being  with  whom  he  has  talked  in  a  vision. 
A  medicine  shirt  is  one  worn  by  such  a  healer  when  performing 
his  cures.  Medicine  songs  he  uses  while  calling  upon  the  spirits 
for  help,  and  a  medicine  dance  is  a  ceremony  for  the  purpose  of 
driving  sickness  away  from  the  whole  tribe. 

MEDICINE-SONG    OF    THE    EAGLE 

M.M.  ^  =.  138. 


Hai  -    yi   -     la hi   -    yi,      hi  -     yi,      hi  -   yi, 


Jtzz:*±> 


hai  -  yi  -  la;     Ow  -  na  -     twik  -  na-  nis,     hi  -  yi,     hi  -   yi,     hi 


^^^^^^ 


yi,    hai  -  yi  -   la,  A  -  wi  -  yi  -  hi  -  yi,     hai  -  yi  -  la. 

Tilting  on  wings,  flapping,  flapping,  flapping,  tilting  on 

wings : 
Pursuing  by  means  of  song,  flapping,  flapping,  flapping, 

tilting  on  wings, 
Soaring  high,  tilting  on  wings. 

23 


24  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

and  then  passed  it 
about  the  circle  for  all 
to  smoke. 

A  warrior  stood  up 
and  said:  "It  is  not  for 
me  to  speak  of  this 
with  big  words.  If  I 
did,  my  brothers  might 
say,  'Yellow  Cloud  has 
small  thoughts  behind 
large  words.'  Black 
Eagle,  when  he  fasted 
on  the  high  peaks  of 
the  mountains,  was 
shown  great  visions  by 
the  spirit  people.  Let 
him  talk.  The  visions 
told  him  much.  His 
courage  in  battle 
brought  him  many 
honors.  Let  Black 
Eagle   speak.     I  have 

Fasting  in  winter  finished." 

Black  Eagle,  slowly  and  with  deliberation, 
stood  upon  his  feet.  His  height  was  the  breadth 
of  a  hand  more  than  that  of  the  others.  On  his 
head  was  a  close-fitting,  crestlike  cap  made  from 
an  eagle  skin,  and  wrapped  close  about  him  was 
a  robe  of  the  buffalo.  As  he  rose,  the  robe  was 
thrown  off,  and  he  stood  before  his  fellows  like 
a  bronze  statue. 


Greeting  the  Strangers 


25 


"Brother  chiefs  of 
the  S  a  1  i  s  h,  Yellow 
Cloud  has  spoken  of 
my  long  fasting  in  the 
summer  and  in  the  bit- 
ter winter.  INIany  vis- 
ions have  been  granted 
me,  but  this  is  not  the 
time  to  speak  of  them. 
Today  two  strangers 
come  to  us.  They  have 
many  stories  to  unfold. 
When  we  have  heard 
the  words  which  come 
from  afar,  we  will  give 
deep  thought  and  then 
speak.  It  is  time  we 
were  ready  to  meet  and 
make  welcome  the  vis- 
itors.    I  have  said  it." 

Lone  Pine  rose  to  his 
feet,  and  the  words  of 
his    strong   voice   were 


Black  Eagle  in  his  robe 


these:  "Black  Eagle  has  spoken  well.  It  is  time 
we  should  mount  our  horses  and  prepare  to  wel- 
come our  visitors.  Around  the  council  fire  to- 
night we  will  talk.  Running  Owl,  ride  about  the 
camp  and  tell  our  young  men  to  be  ready." 

Running  Owl  quickly  mounted  his  horse,  and 
as  he  rode  he  called  out  repeatedly:  "Our  chief 
bids  you  be  ready!     Soon  the   scouts  will  re- 


Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

^^^-^-^-^  port  the  coming  of  the 

strangers.     M  o  u  n  t   your 
horses  and  be  ready!" 

Scarcely  had  the  herald 
started  when  the  chief 
and  his  head  men  mounted 
their  horses  and  began  rid- 
ing around  just  inside  the 
camp  circle.  All  were 
singing  Lone  Pine's  songs. 
Each  moment,  as  they 
rode,  other  men  joined  the 
cavalcade,  and  soon  every 
man  in  the  camp  was  in 
the  party.  And  now  they 
rode  away  to  the  plain 
where  the  visitors  were  to 
be  met.  They  passed 
through  open  groves  of 
pine,  and  came  upon  a 
flower  -  dotted  meadow, 
a  place  which  afforded  a 
broad  outlook.  There  they 
halted  and  waited  for  word 
from  the  scouts. 

Their  eyes  were  scarcely 
less  penetrating  than  those 
of  an  eagle,  and  soon  they 
saw  a  mounted  scout.  He 
was  on  a  high  crest,  out- 
lined against  the  sky,  and 


Greeting  the  Strangers 


27 


he  rode  back  and  forth  on  the  same  line.  This 
was  the  signal  that  he  had  sighted  the  newcom- 
ers. Now  he  turned  his  horse  and  rode  madly 
toward  the  warriors. 

Lone  Pine  and  his  chiefs  were  all  in  line, 
slightly  in  advance  of  the  main  party;  at  such 
times  ordinary  warriors  remained  behind  their 
chiefs.  The  scout  galloped  up,  dismounted,  and 
reported  to  the  chief  that  the  two  strangers  were 
on  a  far-away  hill;  that  they  had  halted  some 
time  ago  to  sing  many  songs,  paint  their  bodies, 
and  put  on  their  fine  clothing. 

Lone  Pine  listened  quietly  until  the  scout  had 
told  his  story.  "Chiefs  and  warriors,"  he 
shouted,  "what  this  scout  tells  us  is  good.  We 
know  he  speaks  with  a  straight  tongue.  It  was 
a  true  report  that  told  us  these  men  were  im- 
portant men,  with  great  knowledge  of  spirit 
things;  for  has  not  our  scout  seen  them  while 
they  sang  their  songs  and  talked  with  the  spirit 
people?  Now  we  will  ride  to  meet  them.  To 
show  that  we  are  warriors,  we  will  spare  not 
our  horses.  We  will  sing  the  songs  of  your 
chief." 


28  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


For  a  time  they  rode  slowly,  and  then,  coming 
close  to  where  the  visitors  were,  they  broke  into 
the  wild  gallop  of  warriors.  Soon  they 
sighted  the  travelers,  who  were  mounted 
on  their  gaily  bedecked  horses  and  sitting 
like  statues  outlined  against  the  sky. 

As  the  warriors  reached  them,  each  one 
endeavored  to  be  the  first  to  strike  with 
a  coup-stick.^  This  desire  to  be  the  first 
to  touch  the  newcomers  brought  about  a 
brief  whirlwind  of  struggling  horses  and 
shouting  men,  and  had  not  the  visitors 
known  of  the  friendly  intentions  of  the 
warriors,  they  would  certainly  have 
thought  themselves  at  the  last  moment  of 
their  lives. 

After  this  first  mad  rush  the  warriors 
drew  back,   that  the   chiefs   might   have 
conversation  with  their  guests.    There  was 
only  an  exctfange  of  greetings  here,  as  all  seri- 

^  In  many  tribes,  especially  of  the  Prairie  Indians,  each  war- 
rior carried  into  battle  a  long  staff  decorated  with  fluttering  eagle- 


Greeting  the  Strangers  29 


ous  subjects  must  be  put  off  until  they  gathered 
around  the  council  fire. 

Now  they  all  started  upon  the  return  to  camp. 
Lone  Pine  and  Black  Eagle,  as  the  leading 
chiefs,  rode  at  the  head  of  the  column,  and  be- 
side them  the  strangers.  The  lesser  chiefs,  the 
scouts,  and  the  other  warriors  came  close  be- 
hind. 

As  the  returning  party  reached  the  camp,  they 
all  began  to  sing,  and  rode  round  and  round  the 
camp  circle,  not  rapidly,  but  in  a  slow  and  stately 

feathers  and  scalps.  This  was  the  coup-stick  (pronounced  coo- 
stick).  The  first  part  of  the  word  is  the  P'rench  coup,  meaning 
"a  blow"  or  "stroke." 

It  was  a  high  honor  for  a  warrior  to  strike  an  enemy  lightly 
with  this  staff,  because  in  so  doing  he  ran  great  risk  of  being 
killed  while  using  a  harmless  stick  instead  of  a  bow  or  a  spear. 
This  is  what  is  called  "striking  a  coup."  In  their  dances  and 
speeches  the  men  always  boasted  of  their  great  deeds,  enumer- 
ating each  one.  This  is  known  as  "counting  coups."  Warriors 
ranked  according  to  the  number  and  the  daring  of  their  coups. 

In  rushing  upon  visitors  and  striking  them  with  coup-sticks 
the  Indians  were  only  imitating  warfare,  just  as  a  sham  battle 
imitates  a  real  fight. 


30  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

fashion.  The  women  and  children,  all  dressed 
in  their  finest  clothes  of  deerskin  decorated  with 
colored  porcupine  quills  and  elk  teeth,  stood  be- 
side the  lodges  watching  the  cavalcade. 

In  the  center  of  the  camp  the  women  had 
pitched  the  long  lodge.  This  was  made  by  tak- 
ing the  poles  and  skin  covers  of  many  lodges  and 
combining  them  into  one  long  structure.  The 
poles  and  skins  of  twenty-five  lodges  had  been 
used,  making  one  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
in  length  and  twenty-four  feet  in  width.  This 
was  a  council  lodge  of  ten  fires.  That  is,  when 
the  council  met  at  night  ten  fires  burned  at  in- 
tervals down  the  middle  of  the  floor.  The  usual 
family  domicile  had  but  one  fire.  There  were 
also  lodges  of  two  fires,  or  of  any  other  number 
up  to  ten.  While  the  council  lodge  stood,  the 
families  who  had  furnished  single  lodges  to  make 
up  the  large  one  usually  lived  in  the  big  struc- 
ture. 

Lone  Pine,  the  proud  chief,  was  master  in 
this  council  lodge,  but  he  had  not  taken  down 
his  home  to  help  build  it.  He  was  rich  in  skins 
and  lodge  coverings,  and  furnished  his  share 
without  destroying  his  home. 

When  the  riders  had  encircled  the  encamp- 
ment several  times,  the  chief  and  the  visitors 
stopped  before  the  home  of  Lone  Pine,  and  the 
other  men  went  their  individual  ways  to  join 
their  families.  As  they  rode  up  to  their  lodges 
and    dismounted,    the    women    or    boys    took 


Oreeting  the  Strangers  31 

charge  of  the  horses,  as  that  was  a  part  of  their 
work. 

The  chief  now  called  an  invitation  for  certain 
men  to  come  to  his  lodge,  to  take  food  with  his 
guests.  These  men  were  ten  or  twelve  in  num- 
ber, and  each  was  invited  by  name. 

On  succeeding  days  it  would  be  the  privilege 
of  other  important  men  to  ask  the  visitors  to  be 
their  guests,  and  to  call  out  the  names  of  those 
they  wanted  to  honor  by  inviting  them  to  the 
feast  with  the  strangers.  At  every  such  feast 
the  host  gave  presents  to  his  stranger  guests, 
and  sometimes  to  the  others  as  well. 


THE  COUNCIL  LODGE 


With  the  coming  of  darkness,  people  from  all 
parts  of  the  camp  began  to  gather  at  the  council 
lodge.  That  none  might  be  absent,  a  crier  was 
sent  to  shout  the  command  that  all  were  to  dress 
and  attend  the  council.' 

Kukusim  and  Scar  face  were  eager  to  learn 
about  the  strangers,  and  slipped  quietly  into  a 
place  close  against  the  walls  of  the  lodge,  but 
well  up  toward  the  end  where  the  chiefs  would 
sit. 

The  entrance  was  at  the  middle  of  one  side, 
and  all  the  important  men  sat  in  a  half-circle  at 
one  end.  The  hundreds  of  spectators  sat  on  the 
ground  at  both  sides  of  the  long  lodge.  Down 
the  central  space  were  the  fires  which  gave 
light. 

When  the  people  were  all  assembled.  Lone 
Pine,  sitting  in  the  center  of  the  curving  line  of 
chiefs,  filled  the  pipe.^     He  lighted  it,  and  after 


one  puff  from  the  long  stem  passed  it  to  the  man 
at  his  left.  This  man  passed  it  on  to  the  left,  and 
so  it  was  handed  from  man  to  man  until  it 
reached  the  last  one  of  the  chiefs.  He  placed  the 
stem  to  his  lips  and  drew  a  whiff  of  smoke,  which 

*  With  the  Indians,  smoking  in  council  is  not  for  pleasure,  but 
is  a  serious  and  solemn  ceremony. 

32 


The  Council  Lodge  33 


he  blew  toward  the  ground,  saying  in  a  low  voice, 
"Earth,  to  you  I  smoke!"  Then  he  blew  upward 
another  draft  of  the  smoke,  saying,  "Sky,  to  you 
I  smoke!"  He  blew  smoke  to  each  of  the  spirits 
of  the  winds — the  East  Wind,  the  South  Wind, 
the  West  Wind,  the  North  Wind. 

This  done,  he  passed  the  pipe  to  the  man  at  his 
right,  who  also  smoked  to  the  Earth,  the  Sky, 
and  the  Four  Winds.  So  it  went  on  from  man 
to  man,  until  it  came  back  to  the  chief.  He 
smoked  as  the  others  had,  and  refilled  and  re- 
lighted the  pipe.  It  was  now  passed  from  man 
to  man  to  the  right  until  it  reached  the  last 
man  on  that  side.  He  smoked  in  the  same  way, 
and  started  the  pipe  on  its  return  toward  the 
chief,  who,  upon  receiving  it,  placed  it  on  a 
buffalo  skull  in  front  of  him  and  rose  to  his 
feet. 

"Two  moons  ago,"  began  Lone  Pine,  "a  party 
of  our  hunters  returned  with  word  of  two  great 
and  wise  medicine-men  who  were  with  a  hunting 


34  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

expedition  of  the  Ap- 
saroke.^  To  this  news 
I  gave  much  thought. 
I  said  in  my  heart: 
'Let  us  see  and  coun- 
cil with  these  medicine- 
men. Perhaps  they 
can  give  us  power 
which  will  strengthen 
our  tribe  and  give  vic- 
tory in  battle.'  So  I 
sent  our  brave  young 
warrior,  Fast  Elk,  to 
ask  these  wise  men  to 
visit  us.  Fellow  chiefs, 
was  that  well?" 

"Aye!  Aye!  Aye!" 
voiced  all  those  in 
council. 

"We  know  that  in 
their  hearts  are  many 
strange    things    which 

A  man  of  the  Apsaroke 

they  can  tell  us.  One 
night  is  not  enough  to  hear  it  all.  We  want  them 
to  stay  with  us  many  moons,  perhaps  many  win- 
ters. They  will  learn  that  the  Salish  are  brave 
and  fear  no  enemy,  that  the  hearts  of  our  women 
are  warm,  and  their  words  as  gentle  as  the  mur- 

^  The  Apsaroke  (pronounced  Ap-sa'-ro-ke),  as  they  call  them- 
selves, are  usually  known  as  the  Crow  Indians.  They  are  a  bold, 
hardy  tribe,  living  in  south  central  Montana,  and  formerly  also 
in  northern  Wyoming. 


The  Council  Lodge 


35 


mur  of  the  brook.  Brother  chiefs,  make  our 
guests  welcome !  Prepare  many  feasts  for  them ! 
Give  them  the  softest  of  your  robes  for  their 
bed!  They  will  tell  us  how  to  live  and  be  big 
over  our  enemies. 

"I  have  taken  horses  twice  from  the  Apsaroke, 
twice  from  the  Piegan/  once  from  the  Snakes.^ 
One  Piegan  have  I  killed  and  scalped.  In  honor 
of  these  my  deeds  I  give  to  each  of  our  guests 
five  horses.     I  have  said  it." 

During  Lone  Pine's  speech  one  of  the  Salish 
chiefs  rapidly  translated  to  the  visitors  by  means 
of  the  sign  language,  and  at  the  end  five  short 
willow  rods  were  handed  to  each  guest  as  visible 
tokens  of  the  gift  of  the  horses. 

Now  stepped  forward  Black  Eagle.  "Lone 
Pine,  our  chief,  has  spoken  well.  Our  visitors 
have  seen  the  lands  from  which  all  winds  come. 
In  their  many  fastings  in  strange  places  they 
have  learned  secrets  which  make  their  power 
great.     We  want  to  keep  them  with  us,  that  we 

^  The  Piegan  were  a  large,  warlike  tribe  of  northern  Montana. 
^  The  Snakes,  or  Shoshoni,  roamed  over  what  is  now  Wyoming, 
southern  Idaho,  and  northern  Nevada. 


36 


Indian  Days  of  the  hong  Ago 


!0r 


:'^ 


h 


m: 


\''-^, 


,^vt 


Looking  to  the  land  of  the 
winds 


may  grow  to  be  a  greater 
people,  that  we  may  suc- 
ceed in  war,  that  we  may 
have  our  wives  and  chil- 
dren well  and  strong.  We 
want  to  hear  their  voices  in 
council.  We  want  to  hear 
their  songs  of  war  and 
their  songs  to  the  spirits. 
From  their  counsel  our 
young  men  will  know  bet- 
ter how  to  fast  in  the  high 
mountains. 

"Salish  chiefs,  warriors, 
make  our  guests  welcome! 

"All  the  Salish  know 
that  twelve  winters  ago  in 
the  buffalo  country  I  rode 
unarmed  among  our  ene- 
mies, the  Piegan,  and 
struck  their  chief  with  my 
coup  -  stick.  Of  another 
Piegan  I  have  the  scalp! 
From  a  camp  of  the 
Snakes  I  captured  a  horse 
while  it  stood  tethered  at 
the  door  of  its  owner's 
lodge.  These  were  men's 
deeds.  In  honor  of  them 
I  now  give  to  each  of  our 
guests   a   horse,    a   lodge. 


The  Council  Lodge  37 

and   robes  !     I   have     r  - 

said  it!"  $ 

Little  Bear  stood  up. 
Many  winters  had 
piled  their  snows  about 
his  lodge,  and  the  winds 
of  many  summers  had 
laid  deep  wrinkles  in 
his  face.  Every  tribes- 
man knew  his  strength 
and  courage.  His 
tongue  was  as  sharp  as 
the  claws  of  a  bear, 
and  fear  of  his  cutting 
words  brought  close 
attention  from  every 
man  in  council.  Before 
beginning  to  speak  he 
turned  toward  the 
guests,  and  in  sign  lan- 
guage said: 

"I  am  called  Little 
Bear,    because    with 

these  two  hands  I  killed  the  largest  bear  in  our 
mountains." 

Then  with  fire  in  his  voice  he  began  his  rapid 
speech : 

"Salish  chiefs,  I  speak  now.  I  fear  lest  our 
words  be  foolish  words.  Are  we  to  stand  here 
tonight  and  each  count  his  coups?  Lone  Pine 
and  Black  Eagle  will  tell  us  that  we  are  here 


'Wf^^%^:%^ 


Little  Bear 


38  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

^._  ._.  _«^     ^^  learn  of  the  strangers, 

,  but  you  spend  the  time 

talking  of  your  deeds,  of 
ponies,  and  of  gifts. 
Countless  times  we  have 
heard  these  tales,  until 
our  youths  have  for 
amusement  woven  them 
into  song.  Are  we  to 
have  our  ears  made  weary 
with  stories  older  than  a 
toothless  bear?  Let  us 
hear  the  words  of  the 
strangers!  I  have  said 
it!" 

The  chiefs  were  glad 
that  Little  Bear  had 
made  his  words  so  brief. 
Well  they  knew  how  he  could  hold  them  up  to 
ridicule  if  he  saw  fit. 

Lean  Wolf,  a  warrior  as  old  and  wrinkled  as 
Little  Bear,  with  scars  of  countless  battles, 
stepped  forward. 

"Little  Bear's  tongue  is  sharp,  like  the  ar- 
row-point, and  were  he  less  brave,  his  words 
would  find  no  one  to  accompany  them  with 
laughter.  And  were  he  as  wise  as  brave,  he  would 
soften  a  nest  for  his  aged  bones  with  smiles  and 
words  of  honey.  It  is  easy  to  get  laughter  with 
words  which  cut  like  the  bear's  claw,  but  they 
do  not  bring  friends.     There  is,  however,  I  say. 


Lean  Wolf 


The  Council  Lodge 


39 


Let  us  cease  our  talk, 

tell    us    of   the  things 

speak    right,  brother 


much  truth  in  his  speech, 
and  ask  the  strangers  to 
known  to  them.  Do  I 
chiefs?" 

"Aye!  Aye!  Aye!" 

Once  more  the  pipe  was  filled  and  smoked  in 
the  regular  way,  and  was  replaced  on  the  buffalo 
skull. 


THE   STORY  OF   THE  TWO   STRANGERS 

One  of  the  visitors  stood  up.  His  appearance 
was  unlike  the  other  Indians  about  him.  He 
was  less  tall,  his  face  was  broad,  his  shoulders 
were  more  massive,  and  his  hips  narrower  than 
theirs.  For  an  instant  he  stood  hesitating. 
Then  with  his  hands  he  said : 

"Salish,  I  do  not  do  the  hand-talk  well.  Where 
I  was  born  we  did  not  use  this  way,  but  as  I 
have  grown  old  I  have  learned  to  make  my 
hands  speak. 

"I  know  many  words  of  the  Salish,  not  just  as 
you  with  your  tongues  make  them,  but  nearly. 
My  father's  people  were  neighbors  of  those  who, 
though  far  away,  speak  words  almost  like  yours. 
So  as  I  talk  with  my  hands  I  will  also  give  such 
words  as  I  can,  and  that  will  help  you  to  under- 
stand. 

"My  name  is  He  Who  Was  Dead  And  Lives 
Again.    My  winters  are  so  many  that  I  have  no 

40 


The  Story  of  the  Two  Strangers        41 


count  of  them,  but  I 
know  that  the  strength 
which  made  my  feet 
as  light  as  the  deer's 
has  gone  from  me. 
In  my  numberless 
winters  and  summers 
I  have  seen  many 
things,  —  seen  them 
when  I  was  alive, 
seen  them  when  my 
bodj^  lay  as  though 
dead  and  my  spirit 
was  elsewhere.  All 
these  things  I  will  in 
time  try  to  tell  you, 
but  I  cannot  retravel 
the  trails  of  a  life- 
time in  one  night. 

"My  parents  were 
of  the  people  who  live  by  the  Big  Water  where 
the  sun  goes  down,  where  the  forest  is  thick  and 
dark,  where  people  travel  always  in  canoes,  large 
and  small.  Many,  many  tribes  are  there.  My 
father's  tribe  is  called  the  Clayoquot.^     There,  a 

^  The  principal  village  of  the  Clayoquot  (pronounced  Clah'-yo- 
quot,  but  usually  mispronounced  Chi'-ku-6t)  was  on  Meares  Island, 
off  the  west  coast  of  Vancouver  Island,  British  Columbia.  The 
village  was  called  Tla-o'-qui,  and  the  people  Tla-o'-qui-fit,  which 
the  whites  turned  into  Clayoquot.  Meares  Island  is  named  after  an 
English  explorer  who  visited  this  coast  in  1788  and  1789,  and 
Vancouver  Island  for  a  captain  of  the  British  navy  who  sailed 
around  the  island  in  1792. 


He  Who  Was  Dead 


42  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

young  warrior,  I  was  captured  by  our  enemies. 
Fearful  that  I  should  escape,  they  carried  me  far 
away  and  sold  me  to  others.  Again  I  was  sold 
and  taken  far  across  the  snow  mountains,  where 
flows  the  Great  River  [Columbia],  and  where 
the  lodges  are  covered  with  rushes  and  skins.  My 
heart  was  sore  with  longing  for  my  home  and 
people. 

"But  soon  I  gazed  into  the  dark  ej^es  of  a 
maiden,  and  no  more  did  I  think  of  my  old  home. 
The  son  of  the  chief  also  looked  with  love  upon 
the  maid  of  my  choice.  He  demanded  my  life. 
This  the  chief  refused  to  grant,  exclaiming:  'You, 
a  chief's  son,  and  cannot  win  the  maid  of  your 
choice  without  my  putting  a  slave  to  death! 
No  maid  would  want  a  man  with  so  weak  a  heart !' 
"The  young  man  was  angered  by  his  father's 

words,  and  he 
counseled  with 
other  youths  how 
to  make  away  with 
me.  Without  the 
knowledge  of  the 
chief,  they  crept 
upon  me  while  I 
was  fishing  at  night 
with  a  dip-net,  and 
hit  me  from  be- 

blow  did  not  kill  me,  and  we  fought  for  a  time. 
Then  a  blow  made  my  body  dead,  but  my  mind 


The  Story  of  the  Two  Strangers        43 


was  alive.  I  could  hear  their  words,  but  could 
not  move.  They  spoke  of  what  to  do  with  my 
body.  The  decision  was  to  put  me  into  a  canoe 
and  set  me  adrift  on  the  river.  'Then  my  father,' 
reasoned  the  chief's  son,  'will  think  he  has  stolen 
the  canoe  and  fled.' 

"In  the  canoe  I  drifted  on  waters  slow  and 
fast.  I  heard  the  roar  of  a  rapid,  and  tried  to 
make  my  spirit  move  my  hand,  but  of  no  avail. 
My  body  was  still  dead.  Then  the  canoe  lurched 
and  pitched,  shot  into  the  air,  and  half  filled  with 
water;  and  still  I  drifted  on.  My  eyes  were  like 
my  body,  dead;  but  I  knew  that  night  had 
changed  to  day,  and  that  the  sun  was  shining  in 
my  face.  Still  I  drifted.  Day  changed  into 
night,  and  once  more  it  was  day.  Then  I  heard 
the  soft  voices  of  women  and  felt  the  jar  of  a 
canoe  touching  mine.  I  knew  but  few  of  the 
words  they  spoke.  At  first  they  thought  me  dead. 

"Then  one  said:  'Sister,  he  is  not  dead.  lie  is 
only  in  the  shadow  land.  What  a  handsome  man ! 


44 


Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


Sister,  we  will  take  him 
home  and  have  songs  made 
to  call  back  his  spirit.  Then 
perhaps  one  of  us  will  have 
him  for  a  husband.' 

"They  towed  my  canoe 
ashore,  and  I  felt  myself 
being  carried  into  a  house. 
There  was  much  excite- 
ment, and  many  people 
talked  at  once.  Then  a 
medicine -man  began  to 
sing,  and  to  blow  life  into 
my  body,  and  to  work  my 
arms  and  chest.  At  last 
strength  began  to  return 
to  me,  and  I  could  open 
my  eyes. 
"Many  were  the  questions  as  to  whence  I  came, 
but  it  was  long  before  the  strength  of  words  came 
to  my  tongue.  The  singing  man  told  me  it  was 
well  that  the  maids  had  found  me,  as  just  below 
was  the  great  waterfall,  where  the  angry  waters 
would  have  devoured  my  canoe.  Laughing,  he 
said:  'They  have  saved  your  life.  They  can  have 
you  for  a  slave  or  a  husband.' 

"And  still  my  heart  was  heavy  with  the 
thought  of  the  maiden  far  up  the  river. 

"Days  passed.  Strength  came  to  my  limbs, 
and  I  thought  I  had  escaped  from  the  clutches 
of  the  evil  spirits,  when  again  my  body  became 


The  Story  of  the  Two  Strangers        45 


dead.  This  time  ^ 
my  spirit  traveled 
far  and  saw  strange  things. 
Once  more  the  singing  man 
brought  my  soul  back,  and 
Avhen  my  eyes  opened  I  saw 
they  had  decided  that  I  was  a 
supernatural  being.  The  men 
counseled  that  I  be  taken  be- 
low the  falls  and  sent  on  in  a 
canoe.  'He  is  of  the  spirit 
people,'  they  said,  'and  per- 
haps he  will  bring  evil  upon 
us.    We  will  send  him  on.' 

"Thus  again  my  wanderings 
continued.  Many  winters  and 
many  summers  I  traveled. 
When  I  found  the  ways  of  a 
tribe  good,  I  became  one  of 
them  for  a  time. 

"While  dead  I  had  learned 
to  sing  songs  which  made  the 
sick  well.  I  had  talked  much 
with  the  spirits  and  knew  their 
ways.      The    farther    I    wan- 


46  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

dered  the  stranger  the  people,  the  stranger  their 
ways,  the  more  curious  the  plants,  the  grass,  the 

fruit.  For  many 
winters  my  steps 
were  toward  the 
wind  of  the  south. 
Then  I  turned  my 
feet  toward  the 
new  -  born  sun.  I 
crossed  a  great 
river  [Colorado], 
and  traveled  on. 

"Strange  sights 
were  before  me. 
The  houses  were 
not  of  boards,  not 
of  rushes,  not  of 
skins,  not  of  leaves. 
They  were  of 
stones,  one  built 
li  i  g  h  upon  the 
other." 

At  this  strange 
statement  his  lis- 
teners were  wide- 
eyed.  "Truly,"  thought  they,  "can  such  things 
be  not  of  dreams?" 

The  old  man  continued:  "There  are  greater 
wonders  than  stone  houses.  Do  you  know  that 
the  people  of  the  stone  houses  call  the  snakes  their 
brothers,  and  clasp  them  to  their  bosoms,  and 


Indians  of  the  palms 


The  Story  of  the  Two  Strangers        47 


The  Snake  Brothers 

take  them  in  their  teeth,  and  that  no  snake  ever 
does  harm  to  a  single  one  of  the  people?" 

A  murmured  "Ah!  Ah!  Ah!"  swept  over  his 
listeners.    "Truly,  that  is  medicine!" 

Now  stronger  grew  the  voice  of  the  speaker. 
"But,  Salish,  stranger  things  than  Snake  Broth- 
ers saw  I  there, — men  like  us  in  form,  but  like 
snow  in  color,  of  strange  ways  and  words,  and 
strange  songs  and  religion.  They  are  proud. 
They  look  down  upon  our  ways  and  say  we  must 
make  our  songs  and  religion  like  theirs.  Their 
talk  says  the  white  brothers  are  like  the  grains 
of  sand,  that  when  a  handful  is  taken  away,  oth- 
ers quickly  take  their  places.  Long  I  talked  with 
one  of  these  white  men,  and  my  heart  became 
heavy. 

"I  sang  to  the  spirits.  Then  my  body  became 
dead  again,  and  my  spirit  saw  many  things.  In 
my  vision  I  saw  these  white  men,  like  the  count- 
less buffalo,  swarm  across  the  land.     I  saw  them 


48  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

build  their  houses  by  the  rivers  and  the  springs. 
I  saw  them  taking  our  forests  and  killing  our 
game,  until  the  red  men,  women,  and  children 
cried  for  food.  I  heard  children  wail,  I  saw  war- 
riors and  mothers  sick  with  famine  and  disease. 
Then  woe,  woe!  I  saw  all  the  nations  of  our 
land  cry  out,  reaching  their  hands  to  the  spirit 
people.     And  the  cry  brought  no  answer! 

''When  my  body  awoke  again,  I  talked  long 
with  the  white  song  singer,  and  told  him  of  my 
vision. 

"  'You  saw  right,'  was  his  reply.  'The  red  man 
must  give  his  country  to  the  white.  The  red 
man's  songs  are  not  true  songs.  They  lead  him 
on  crooked  trails.' 

"Then  he  told  me  of  his  songs  and  prayers, 
but  I  lost  the  trail  and  could  not  follow  him.  All 
I  could  answer  was:  'My  songs  and  my  prayers 
are  good  enough  for  me.  Long  before  you 
white  skins  with  your  great  songs  have  taken 
our  lands,  I  shall  have  started  on  the  long  trail 
to  ghost  land.' 

"Salish,  when  I  think  of  my  talk  with  the 
white  stranger,  my  heart  is  heavy,  and  I  see  only 
dark  clouds,  which  hang  so  low  that  the  moun- 
tain-top is  buried.  For  me  it  matters  not.  My 
trail  is  short.  But  for  these  children  and  their 
children,  there  is  no  happy  song  to  lead  their 
steps. 

"Sadness  filled  my  heart.  I  wandered  away 
from  the   stone-house  people,   and  turned  my 


The  Story  of  the  Two  Strangers         49 

eyes  toward  the  rising  sun.    JNIany  people  I  vis- 
ited, and  then  I  came  to  the  plains  where  the 
buffalo    are    thick    like    the 
blackbirds  of  autumn.  There      .^  '"^^fc=^ 

I  met  a  party  of  warriors.      ^  ^ 

They  were  from  the  north, 
and  had  been  for  many  win- 
ters on  a  journey  to  the  far 
south.  These  people  called 
themselves  Apsaroke.  All 
the  Salish  know  them.  With 
them  I  traveled  far  and  sang 
songs  with  their  medicine- 
men. 

"When  I  reached  the  land 
of  the  north,  there  I  found 
my  brother  wanderer.  He  came  from  the  big 
waters  of  the  morning  sun.  His  songs  are 
strange,  and  not  like  mine.  JNIany  stories  he  can 
tell  you.  More  than  I,  he  knows  about  the  white 
men.     I  will  not  steal  his  words. 

"The  welcome  of  the  Salish  has  made  my  old 
heart  young.  May  I  have  many  winters  in  your 
camp.     I  have  said  it!" 

"Aye,  aye,  aye,  aye!"  Like  a  wave  the  miu'- 
mur  swept  over  the  assemblj^  as  the  Clayoquot 
sat  down.  Each  chief  would  gladly  have  leaped 
to  his  feet  and  made  a  speech,  but  the  second 
guest  must  be  heard  first. 

As  the  latter  rose,  it  could  be  plainly  seen  that 
he  was  a  stranger  in  the  land.     His  face  bore  a 


50  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

keener  expression.  His  clothing  was  different, 
and  instead  of  a  full  head  of  hair  with  a  long 
braid  down  each  side,  he  wore  but  a  strip  of 
bristling  hair  along  the  crown  of  his  head.  His 
talk  was  all  by  signs. 

"I  am  Four  Moons.  The  story  of  my  foot- 
steps on  many  trails  would  fill  the  nights  of  a 
long  winter.  My  mother's  wigwam  was  beside 
the  great  lakes  where  streams  flow  eastward  into 
the  Big  Water,  whence  the  morning  sun  rises. 
My  people  w^ere  the  Wendat.^  Alas !  the  power- 
ful tribes  of  the  Wendat  are  broken  and  scattered. 
''Sixty  winters  ago,  in  my  boyhood  days,  there 

were  eighteen  great  vil- 
lages of  my  people. 
Eight  of  them  were 
protected  by  thick,  high 
palisades.  The  people 
were  like  flies  in  num- 
ber. Twenty  thousand, 
my  father  has  told  me, 
dwelt  in  the  towns  of 
the  Wendat. 

"From  the  earliest 
time  of  which  the  old  men  could  tell,  we  had 
been  at  war  with  Those  of  the  Long  Lodge. 
Fierce  and  cruel  were  the  cunning  warriors  of 

^  The  Wendat  were  a  federation  of  four  tribes,  nicknamed  Hu- 
rons  by  the  French.  Later  they  became  known  as  the  Wyandot, 
a  corruption  of  their  own  name.  The  Hurons,  when  first  ob- 
served by  the  French  explorer  Champlain  in  1615,  were  living  in 
what  is  now  Ontario,  south  and  east  of  Georgian  Bay. 


Four  Moons 


The  Story  of  the  Two  Strangers        51 


Those  of  the  Long  Lodge/  yet  not  so  numerous 
as  ours. 

"I  see  that  you  are  surprised  that  the  few 
could  overcome  the  many.  But  think  not  that  the 
Wendat  were  lacking  in  strength  of  heart  or 
knowledge  of  war.  Our  enemies  had  help  that 
was  not  ours. 

"Even  before  I  was  born  there  came  over  the 
sea  in  great  canoes  people  of  the  race  about 
whom  m}^  friend  has  told  you.  But  he  has  not 
told  you  of  their  wonderful  weapons.  My 
friends,  when  the  white  hunter  would  kill  a  deer, 
he  points  a  stick  at  it.  There  is  a  flash  of  light- 
ning, a  roar  of  thunder,  and  the  deer  drops  dead 
in  his  tracks!" 

A  murmur  of  awe  and  wonder,  almost  of  dis- 
belief, swept  through  the  assembly. 

*  This  Avas  the  native  name  of  the  Iroquois,  or  Five  Nations,  a 
federation  of  the  following  tribes:  Cayuga,  Mohawk,  Oneida, 
Onondaga,  and  Seneca.  The  territory  they  occupied  is  now  north- 
ern New  York.  The  Iroquois  tribes  belonged  to  the  same  family 
as  the  Hurons,  the  two  groups  speaking  dialects  of  the  same 
language. 


52  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

"Yes,  my  friends,  it  is  true.  As  the  winters 
passed,   the    white    men   in    their    town    beside 

the  Great  Water  became 
more  and  more  numer- 
ous. To  our  enemies, 
who  were  nearer  to  them 
than  we,  they  traded  of 
these  magic  weapons  for 
furs.  The  shooter  of  the 
white  man  will  kill  ten 
times  as  far  as  an  arrow, 
and  when  Those  of  the 
Long  Lodge  had  many 
of  the  new  shooters,  we 
could  do  nothing. 
"It  is  now  fifty-two  years  ^  since  they  began  a 
war  to  sweep  us  from  the  earth.  With  their 
thunder  weapons  they  could  not  fail.  I  will  not 
tell  you  now  of  the  fierce  battles,  the  bloody 
slaughters,  of  women  wailing  for  slain  husbands 
and  sons,  of  starving  children  wandering 
through  the  woods. 

"A  small  party  fled  westward,  among  them 
my  father,  the  chief  Anabotaha,  and  myself.  I 
was  a  young  man  just  learning  the  ways  of 
war. 

"After  several  years  of  wandering  hither  and 
thither,  we  came  into  the  country  of  the  Pota- 

^  It  was  in  1C48  that  the  Iroquois  began  the  final  campaign 
against  the  Huron  tribes.  In  two  or  three  years  nearly  all  the 
Hurons  had  been  either  captured  and  adopted  or  killed  in  battle 
or  by  torture.     The  remnants  were  scattered  in  every  direction. 


The  Story  of  the  Two  Strangers        53 

watomi^  and  built  a 
village  with  a  pali- 
sade on  the  shore  of 
a  great  lake  so  wide 
that  the  eye  cannot 
reach  across  it. 

"Still  we  were  not 
out  of  reach  of 
Those  of  the  Long 
Lodge,  and  a  few 
years  later  we  left 
this  new  home.  JNIy 
father,  with  some 
others,  returned  east- 
ward beyond  our 
former  land,  and 
later  I  heard  a  re- 
port that  he  was 
killed  by  our  ene- 
mies. For  my  part, 
being  now  a  man,  I  chose  to  go  with  those  who 
continued  westward. 

"Among  the  Illinois  "  we  foimd  welcome.  But 
our  rest  here  was  brief,  for  the  Illinois  too  were 
beset  by  a  powerful  enemy,  the  Dakota.'^  And 
thus,  my  friends,  we  were  driven  from  place  to 


Anabotaha 


^  In  the  region  of  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin. 

*  The  Illinois  lived  on  the  river  of  that  name,  as  well  as  on 
the  Mississippi. 

^  The  Dakota,  or  Sioux,  were  living  at  this  early  ])eriod  on  the 
upper  course  of  the  Mississippi,  above  the  Illinois.  They  were 
very  numerous  and  warlike. 


54  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

place.  With  a  few  companions  I  became  sepa- 
rated from  the  main  party,  and  one  by  one  they 
have  died.  Alone,  I  have  wandered  from  tribe 
to  tribe,  always  westward.  As  my  friend  has 
told  you,  it  was  among  the  Apsaroke,  whom  you 
know,  that  he  found  me. 

"You  know  now,  my  friends,  whence  I  came. 
At  another  time  I  will  tell  you  of  the  habits  of 
the  people  of  the  east.  Their  ways  are  strange 
to  you.  I  will  tell  you,  too,  of  the  white  men, 
for  I  have  seen  them,  and  listened  to  the  songs 
of  their  medicine-men,  the  black-robes,^  as  we  of 
the  east  call  them.  I  will  show  you  how  on  every 
seventh  day  they  hold  a  dance,  sing  their  songs, 
and  speak  to  one  whom  they  believe  to  dwell  in 
the  sky.  But  now  the  night  is  done.  For  this 
time  it  is  enough." 

As  Four  Moons  took  his  seat,  a  murmur 
played  over  the  people  gathered  there.  Then 
Lone  Pine  stood  up. 

"Salish  brothers,  the  words  we  have  heard  to- 
night bring  to  my  eyes  many  strange  and  won- 
derful pictures.  But  they  make  my  heart  very 
sad  and  heavy,  for  they  show  that  a  new  people 
with  strange  words  and  thoughts  are  creeping 
upon  us,  and,  like  old  age,  nothing  can  stay 
them. 

"Sleep  is  making  heavy  the  eyes  of  our  young 
men.  Our  visitors  have  promised  to  stay  many 
days,  and  around  the  council  fire  to  tell  us  the 

*  The  Catholic  priests  were  very  commonly  called  "black-robes." 


The  Story  of  the  Two  Strangers 

55 

^J[^^&b4\.      k^dl 

1 

"^f--'m.mm-  -^^  '-^ 

The  return  to  the  lodges 

strange  things  they  have  heard  and  seen,  and  to 
sing  us  the  songs.  We  will  go  to  our  lodges 
now." 

Late  as  it  was,  Kukiisim  had  kept  wide  awake 
to  the  end.  The  stories  set  fire  to  his  blood,  and 
made  him  want  to  be  a  warrior  and  go  on  long 
travels.  He  decided  to  take  the  first  opportu- 
nity to  make  friends  with  these  wanderers,  par- 
ticularly with  He  Who  Was  Dead  And  Lives 
Again,  and  get  them  to  tell  him  many  stories  of 
their  travels,  and  of  the  wonders  they  had  seen. 
The  guests  slept  in  his  father's  lodge,  and  he  lost 
no  part  of  their  talk  either  in  broken  words  or  by 
signs.  In  his  restless  sleep  he  saw  many  wonder- 
ful sights,  and  dreamed  that  he  was  being  car- 
ried in  a  canoe  on  the  swift  waters  of  an  angry 
river,  and  again  and  again  a  hissing  snake  wound 
about  him. 

He  was  early  awake  and  off  to  the  river  with 
his  father  and  the  visitors  for  the  morning  bath. 


THE  SWEAT-BATH 

He  Who  Was  Dead  And  Lives  Again  noticed 
how  quick  Kiikusim  was  to  understand  the  hand- 
talk,  and  in  order  to 
test  him  he  told  a  story 
new  to  the  boy,  and 
asked  him  to  repeat  it. 
Quick  as  a  flash  the 
small  hands  flew  back 
and  forth,  retelling  the 
story  with  every  detail. 
"Good,  my  grandson!  I  will  be  your  new 
grandfather,  and  I  will  teach  you  the  ways  and 
wise  thoughts  of  many  chiefs  and  song  singers. 
I  will  teach  you  new  songs  and  the  ways  of  many 
warriors.  And  when  your  arm  is  strong  enough 
to  draw  the  man's  bow,  your  father  will  know 
that  you  are  wise  and  can  proudly  bear  his  name." 
These  words  made  Kukiisim  almost  choke  with 
emotion.    His  thoughts  were  big. 

Scarcely  had  the  sunlight  touched  the  moun- 
tain-tops, when  Lone  Pine  called  out : . 

"Brother  chiefs,  tonight  our  guests  are  to  talk 
to  us  and  sing  us  songs.  That  these  words  and 
songs  may  do  us  good  and  give  us  strength,  let 
us  sing  in  the  sweat-lodge.  Thus  we  shall  make 
the  body  pure,  that  the  spirit  people  may  come 
close  and  take  no  offense  at  any  human  odors." 
So  after  the  morning  meal  a  number  of  men 
went  close  to  the  water's  edge,  and  there  made  of 
withes   several   dome-shaped   frames   from   five 

56 


The  Sweat-Bath 


/^■.'-'-- 


r 


N>v:.^" 


to  ten  feet  in  diameter  and  just  high  enough 
to  permit  the  bathers  to  squat  inside  of  them. 
In  the  center  of  each  a  hole  was  dug  in  the 
ground,  and  the  frame  was  then  covered  with 
skins  or  rush  mats.  In  front  of  each  sweat-lodge 
was  built  a  roaring  fire,  and  in  it  were  laid  many 
stones  to  heat.  When  these  grew  red-hot,  a  man 
took  them  up  one  by  one  with  wooden  tongs  and 
placed  them  in  the  hole  in  the  center  of  the  sweat- 
lodge. 

Now  the  men  who  were  to  take  part  crept  into 
the  low  sweat-lodges,  and  attendants  on  the  out- 
side fastened  the  covers  tightly  so  that  no  steam 
could  escape.  The  leader  in  each  sweat-lodge 
was  a  medicine-man  or  a  chief,  and  he  had  with 
him  a  rattle.  When  they  were  all  inside,  he 
started  a  song,  and  all  the  men  joined  in.  At 
the  end  of  the  fourth  song,  the  head  singer  took 
a  cup  of  water  from  a  vessel  before  him  and 
dashed  it  upon  the  heated  stones.  As  the  hot, 
suffocating  steam  rolled  up  and  filled  the  little 


58  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

lodge,  the  crouching  men  again  commenced  to 
sing.  The  steam  choked  them  and  it  was  harder 
now  to  continue  the  songs.  At  the  end  of  that 
song  more  water  was  thrown  on;  then  another 
song  was  given. 

This  continued  until  songs  to  the  number  of 
four,  the  sacred  number,  had  been  used.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  the  cover  was  lifted  to  let  in 
fresh  air.  After  a  short  breathing  space  the  cover 
was  again  lowered,  and  another  series  of  four 
songs  sung,  and  again  they  lifted  the  cover  for 
air. 

Four  times  the  series  of  four  songs  was  given. 
One  of  the  men  could  not  endure  so  much  of  the 
heat,  and  during  an  interval  he  went  out;  but 
to  do  that  made  one  look  small  in  the  eyes  of 
his  people. 

At  the  last  song  the  remainder  of  the  water  in 
the  pail  was  thrown  on  all  at  once,  which  made 
so  much  hot  steam  that  it  almost  overcame  even 
the  strongest  men.  Only  one  or  two  of  the  men 
could  sing  to  the  end  of  the  closing  song.  At  the 
point  when  they  were  almost  choked  by  the 
heated  steam,  the  covers  were  lifted,  and  the 
bathers  ran  out  and  plunged  into  the  icy  cold 
stream.  In  a  moment  they  were  sitting  care- 
lessly on  the  bank,  and  a  little  later  the  sweat  was 
repeated. 

Salish  boys  could  not  participate  with  the 
men  in  the  sweat-lodge.  So  while  the  men  were 
preparing  their  bodies  for  the  story-telling  of  the 


The  Sweat-Bath  59 

night,  Kukiisim  and  his  comrades  wandered  far 
from  the  camp,  and  under  a  great  pine  they  sat 
and  talked  of  the  wonderful  new  things  they  had 
heard.  Kukusim  had  understood  much  more  than 
his  companions,  so  he  had  much  to  explain.  Rab- 
bit had  even  gone  to  sleep  during  the  council, 
and  had  heard  none  of  the  stories  told  by  the  won- 
derful strangers. 

They  were  all  a  little  jealous  of  Kukusim 
when  they  found  that  He  Who  Was  Dead  And 
Lives  Again  had  taken  him  for  a  grandson.  Scar- 
face  was  least  jealous,  for  was  not  Kukusim  his 
chum? 

So  great  was  the  excitement  and  expectancy 
of  this  day  that  the  boj^s  neglected  to  go  to  their 
snares,  deciding  to  put  that  off  until  another  day. 
When  the  shadows  grew  long  they  returned  to 
camp,  and  soon  they  heard  the  herald  calling: 

"When  it  is  dark,  go  to  the  council  lodge! 
Our  friends  will  tell  stories  and  sing  songs. 
Young  men  and  maidens,  put  on  your  fine  cloth- 
ing, that  you  may  dance  for  the  pleasure  of  our 
visitors." 

From  babyhood,  even  before  he  could  utter 
words,  Kukusim  had  been  taught  by  his  father 
to  dance,  and  even  at  four  years  of  age  he  had 
been  known  as  a  remarkable  dancer.  As  they 
sat  at  the  evening  meal  the  old  man  from  the 
Big  Water  of  the  West  asked,  "Is  my  grand- 
son to  dance  for  me  tonight?"  Pleased  and 
happy  with  this  notice,  Kukusim  could  hardly 


60 


Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


He  was  proud  of  his 


Avait  for  the  meal  to  end. 
abihty  in  dancing. 

All  the  family  took  part  in  preparing  him  for 
the  dance.  Ilis  hair  was  oiled  and  combed,  his 
whole  body  painted  red. 
Special  attention  was  given 
his  face,  which  was  painted 
to  represent  the  sky  at  sun- 
rise— yellow  at  the  chin, 
and  blending  through  deep 
colors  to  a  bright  crimson 
at  the  forehead.  In  his 
hair  was  a  bunch  of  hawk 
feathers,  and  on  his  feet 
were  brown  moccasins,  and 
on  his  legs  just  below  the 
knees  were  bands  on  which 
were  fastened  many  deer 
dew-claws.  These,  when  he 
danced,  rattled  in  rhythm  with  the  songs  and 
drums.  Also  around  his  arms  were  rattles,  and 
at  his  waist  was  a  scanty  loin-cloth  of  painted 
deerskin.  Besides  these  things  he  wore  no  other 
clothing. 

When  all  were  ready  to  go  to  the  council 
lodge,  the  mother  looked  proudly  at  her  hand- 
some son. 


WAYS  OF  THE  CLAYOQUOT 


KuKUSiM  and 
his  mother 
were 

the  first  to 
reach  the 
lodge,  and 
they  sat  watching 
the  others  enter.  First 
the  proud  chiefs  stalked 
in.  Nearly  all  were  wrapped 
with  robes  of  the  buffalo, 
some  with  the  hair  outside, 
others  with  the  smooth  skin 
out  and  the  hair  next  their  bodies.  Many  of 
these  robes  had  decorations  of  gaily  colored  por- 
cupine quills  sewed  upon  the  smooth  surface. 
Others  were  painted  in  a  way  that  told  the  story 
of  the  warrior's  fasting  and  battles. 

Following  the  chiefs  came  the  young  men. 
They  were  prepared  for  the  dance  much  as  was 
Kukusim,  their  bodies  painted  according  to 
fancy,  their  hair  decorated  with  feathers.  Their 
blankets  they  carried  on  their  arms :  to  wear  them 
would  hide  from  sight  their  beautifully  painted 
bodies. 

61 


62  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


After  the  young  men 
and  warriors  came  the 
maids  and  their  mothers, 
usually  in  groups  of  three 
or  four.  Girls  and  boys 
never  went  together  to 
public  assemblages.  While 
the  young  men  stalked 
about,  wearing  only  a 
loin-cloth  and  a  few  feath- 
ers and  proudly  display- 
ing their  painted  and 
glistening  bodies,  the 
maids  revealed  scarcely 
so  much  as  an  ankle. 
Their  large,  loose  sleeves 
fell  almost  to  the  wrists. 
The  dresses  were  dec- 
orated with  porcupine 
quills,  and  on  tassels  were 
fastened  shells  or  beads 
which  rattled  when  they 
shook.  As  they  entered,  the  girls  and  women 
kept  their  eyes  modestly  fixed  on  the  ground. 

When  all  the  people  were  in  the  council  lodge. 
Lone  Pine  announced  that  He  Who  Was  Dead 
And  Lives  Again  would  tell  them  a  story  of  the 
land  of  the  West  Wind,  and  then  the  Salish  peo- 
ple would  dance  to  entertain  their  guests.  The 
wanderer  from  the  west  rose. 

"Salish,  today  we  have  sung  together  in  the 


Native  of  west  coast 


Ways  of  the  Clayoquot  63 

sweat-lodge,  and  truly 
we  are  brothers. 
When  I  talk  with 
your  old  men,  I  find 
your  words  are  like 
those  of  some  of  the 
people  beside  the 
Great  Water  where  I 
spent  my  boyhood. 
Soon  I  shall  be  able 
to  speak  with  you 
without  the  hand-talk. 

"Salish  brothers,  I 
have  many  stories  to 
tell  you.  Tonight  I 
will  begin  at  the  Big 
Water,  where  was  my 
father's  home. 

"My  father's  house 
was  a  frame  of  great 
logs  covered  with 
planks  cut  from  trees. 
It  was  more  than  half  as  large  as  this  council 
lodge.  There  lived  in  it  many  families  of  our 
relatives,  and  they  had  many  slaves.  This  house, 
like  the  others  of  the  village,  was  near  to  the 
water,  and  on  the  beach,  close  in  front  of  the 
houses,  were  numerous  canoes.  These  were  made 
of  the  great  trees,  and  some  were  so  long  that 
they  would  carry  several  families.  My  people 
knew  not  the  horse,  but  traveled  only  in  canoes. 


A  west  coast  maiden 


64  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

The  village  was  on  the  quiet  waters  of  a  bay,  but 
just  around  a  point  of  wooded  land  was  the  Big 
Water,  lashing  always  in  anger  against  the  rock 
cliffs.  Ever  we  could  hear  the  roar,  like  con- 
stant low  thunder;  and  when  the  angry  winds 
of  winter  blew,  the  water  dashed  mountain  high 
against  the  rocks,  and  no  man  was  brave  enough 
to  launch  his  canoe  into  the  white  monster's 
mouth. 

"You  would  think  the  dress  of  my  father's 
people  strange.  Both  men  and  women  wear  a 
blanket  made  from  the  bark  of  cedar  trees,  but 
the  chiefs  and  their  wives  use  blankets  of  smooth- 
fur  animals  of  the  water.  When  they  dance  they 
wear  strange  masks  carved  from  wood,  and  they 
dress  themselves  with  skins,  bark,  and  feathers. 
The  masks  represent  animals  of  the  kind  they 
see  and  hunt,  and  many  which  do  not  live  but  are 
seen  in  their  dreams.  In  our  dances  the  maids 
do  not  wear  beautiful  dresses  of  skin  like  the 
Salish,  but  rather  oil  their  bodies  until  they  glis- 
ten in  the  firelight,  and  their  garment  is  a  short 
skirt  of  shredded  bark  about  the  hips. 

"My  heart  is  sad  when  I  tell  you  this :  at  times 
when  the  great  dances  are  in  progress,  men  kill 
slaves  and  eat  them.  I  hear  your  words  of  doubt 
and  of  horror  at  such  a  story,  but  my  tongue 
speaks  straight,  and  such  is  their  way.  They 
know  no  better. 

"Fish  of  many  kinds  are  their  food,  and  the 
greatest  is  a  monster  as  big  as  a  hundred  buf- 


Ways  of  the  Clayoquot 


Qo 


falo.  I  hear  you  Salish  exclaim  'Oh!  Oh!'  I 
know  you  think  my  tongue  makes  large  words, 
but  if  a  whale  were  placed  in  this  great  lodge 
it  would  take  up  more  than  half  its  length.  To 
kill  this  monster  in  the  water  is  hard  work  for  the 
men,  and  only  a  great  chief  leads  whaling  par- 
ties. And  that  he  may  have  success  in  killing 
them,  he  first  must  spend  many  weeks  alone  in 
the  forest,  singing  and  praying  that  the  spirits 
may  make  his  harpoon  go  straight,  and  that 
the  whale  may  not  in  anger  destroy  him  and 
his  men. 

"When  my  father  was  preparing  to  hunt 
whales,  he  lived  in  the  forest  for  four  months, 
and  then  sent  word  to  eight  men  who  were  his 
helpers,  to  go  also  to  the  forest  and  make  their 
bodies  pure,  that  they  might  have  good  fortune 
in  capturing  a  whale.  At  the  appointed  time 
they  all  came  from  the  woods,  got  into  their  great 
whale  canoe,  and  started  far  out  upon  the  open 
water.    It  was  in  the  springtime,  when  the  whales 


66 


Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


are  not  angry.  As  they  started  they  sang  many 
songs.  My  father  had  a  hundred  whale  songs. 
As  they  went,  my  mother  and  all  the  women 
climbed  upon  the  house-tops,  singing  and  beat- 
ing time  on  the  roof  with  sticks. 

"The  spear  used  by  my  father  was  not  much 
longer  than  his  body.  Its  cutting  point  was  a 
large  mussel-shell  held  in  place  with  the  gum  of 
the  pine.  The  rope  fastened  to  the  harpoon  was 
of  the  bark  of  the  cedar.  Fastened  to  this  strong 
rope  were  many  floats  made  of  air-filled  skins 
of  the  hair-seal.  These  floated  and  dragged  in 
the  water,  and  made  the  whale  tired  while  he 
swam  or  tried  to  dive. 

"The  whaling  canoe  left  the  smooth  bay  and 

went  out  into 

the  Great 
Water.  The 
canoe  looked 
no  larger  than 
one's  hand. 

"Sometimes 
on  the  hunt 
they  would 
not  find  a 
whale  on  the 
first  day,  but 
would  have 
to  keep  pad- 
In  the  dark 
they   would   hear  many  whales    splashing   and 


dling   about   through   the   night. 


Ways  of  the  Clayoquot  67 


blowing  water  into  the  sky.  Then  when  day- 
light came  they  might  see  one  close  by. 

"On  sighting  a  whale  they  quickly  paddled 
near  enough  to  spear  him.  If  he  heard  them  and 
sank,  they  watched  closely  for  him  to  come  to 
the  surface.  At  last  they  came  near  enough  to 
throw  harpoons  into  his  body,  and  as  he  sank 
they  sang  songs  to  him,  praying  that  he  would 
not  be  angry.  When  he  came  up  they  harpooned 
him  again,  each  time  fastening  more  floats  to  his 
body. 

"Perhaps  it  would  take  a  whole  day  to  kill  a 
single  whale,  and  when  he  was  dead  they  had 
hard  work  to  get  him  home.  When  at  last  they 
towed  him  to  the  village,  there  was  great  rejoic- 
ing; for  there  would  be  plenty  of  food  for  every 
one. 

"My  father  was  a  big  chief  among  his  people, 
as  his  whale  songs  were  good,  and  he  killed  many 
whales  each  year. 

"At  the  end  of  the  whale  killing  my  father 


68  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

often  went  to  visit 
the  Nitinat^  in  the 
south.  When  I  was 
almost  man  grown, 
he  thought  he 
might  strengthen 
his  friendship  with 
the  proud  Nitinat  by 
finding  there  a  wife 
for  me.  In  ten  ca- 
noes we  started,  and 
on  the  second  day 
reached  the  village 
of  the  Nitinat.  As 
we  came  close,  our 
people  put  on  their 
dance  clothing  and 
formed  the  canoes 
into  a  line,  with  my  father's  a  little  ahead.  My 
father  had  his  singers  cry  out  that  we  had  much 
food  and  presents,  and  that  the  chief  was  look- 
ing for  a  wife  for  his  son.  Then  we  sang  songs 
of  pride  and  boasting,  telling  of  our  courage, 
our  strength,  our  wealth  and  rank.  The  crier 
shouted : 

"  'The  great  chief,  the  great  whaler,  the  great 
warrior  would  find  a  wife  for  his  son.  His  son 
is  strong.    His  flesh  is  firm.    He  has  many  songs. 

*  The  Ni'-ti-nat  formerly  lived  at  the  mouth  of  Jordan  River 
on  the  southern  coast  of  Vancouver  Island.  Since  the  coming  of 
white  men  they  have  lived  at  the  mouth  of  Cheewhat  River,  near 
Nitinat  Lake. 


Ways  of  the  Clayoquot 


69 


He  buries  his  rivals 
with  the  wealth  of 
his  property.  He, 
like  his  father,  will 
be  a  great  warrior 
and  a  great  whaler. 
The  girl  who  be- 
comes his  wife  must 
be  of  a  chief's  fam- 
ily, must  be  of  good 
looks,  and  heavy 
with  property.' 

"A  song  of  wel- 
come was  heard 
from  the  shore,  and 
the  proud  Nitinat 
weaved  into  it  that 
their  chief  was  no 
less  great  than  my  father,  that  all  the  women  of 
royal  blood  were  beautiful  to  look  at,  and  no 
one  could  outdo  them  in  gifts.  Great  was  our 
welcome,  and  great  the  feasting.  Soon  a  maid 
was  selected  for  me,  and  after  the  next  whaling 
season  her  people  would  return  the  visit  and 
bring  her  with  the  wedding  presents. 

"But  the  winds  of  the  ocean  had  another  story. 
Our  singers  and  wise  men  had  grown  too  proud 
to  listen  to  the  voice  of  the  medicine-man  of  the 
Nitinat.  With  black-painted  face  he  came  from 
the  forest,  waving  his  arms  and  closing  his  eyes, 
exclaiming:  'I  see  dark  clouds,  heavy  clouds,  an- 


70  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

gry  clouds!     I  hear  war  upon  the  waves,  and 
cries  of  anger,  and  I  see  blood  upon  the  water!' 
'"He  sings  these  gloomy  songs 
that  we  may  give  him  presents,' 
protested  our  medicine  singers.  'No 
disaster  can  befall  our  great  chief.' 
"Homeward  bound  we  put  into 
a  bay  for  protection  from  a  threat- 
ening storm.     There  we  watched 
for  the  angry  ocean  to  calm,  yet 
fury  worse  than  the  angry  ocean 
was  near  by,  and  we  saw  it  not. 
In  a  cove  forming  a  part  of  the 
bay  in  which  we  had  found  shelter, 
there  lay  concealed  more  than  a 
hundred  war  canoes  of  the  hated 
Clallam.^    They  had  seen  us  enter, 
and  their  spies  came  close  upon 
our  camp. 
"  'At   tomorrow's   dawn   we   will   renew   our 
homeward  journey,'  said  my  father. 

"In  the  darkness  our  old  men  fancied  they 
heard  strange  sounds.  And  well  they  might  have, 
for  when  the  darkness  lifted,  there  upon  the 
water,  completely  blocking  the  mouth  of  the  bay, 
were  the  countless  canoes  of  the  enemy.  Flight 
to  the  forest  was  suggested,  but  no  words  were 
needed  to  tell  us  that  the  enemy  was  as  thick  in 
the  woods  as  on  the  water. 

*  The  Clallam  were  a  warlike  people  living  in  a  dozen  stockaded 
villages  on  the  south  side  of  the  Strait  of  Juan  de  Fuca,  in 
what  is  now  the  State  of  Washington. 


Ways  of  the  Clayoquot 


71 


"Then  my  father 
sang  his  war  song 
and  shouted ;  '  No 
more  shall  we  see 
our  home!  Let  our 
fighting  be  worthy 
our  name !' 

"Spears  and  clubs 
were  made  ready  as 
the  medicine  -  men 
sang  their  songs, 
and  then  our  hand- 
ful of  canoes,  close 
grouped,  rushed  in 
attack  upon  the 
enemy. 

"Salish,  never 
again   in   my  life 

shall  I  see  such  fighting.  It  was  ten  canoes  of 
the  enemy  to  one  of  our  own.  This  was  no 
fighting  with  bows  and  arrows,  but  with  spears 
and  clubs  and  knives.  Canoes  were  capsized, 
and  the  fight  continued  in  the  water.  The  way 
of  that  land  is  to  take  the  head  of  the  slain 
enemy.  A  score  of  canoes  circled  about  my 
father,  and  furious  was  the  fighting  as  he  beat 
the  enemy  back.  And  then  the  blow  of  a  heavy 
club  threw  him  into  the  water. 

"Many  of  our  women  were  taken  for  slaves, 
and  some  of  our  young  men.  I  was  made  as  if 
dead  with  the  stroke  of  a  club,  and  when  I  came 


72  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


to  life  I  found  myself 
tightly  bound  in  the 
bottom  of  a  canoe, 
along  with  other  cap- 
tives and  a  pile  of  gory 
heads.  Angry  war- 
riors who  had  lost 
friends  would  have 
killed  us,  but  our  mas- 
ters would  not  give 
up  their  slaves. 

"Half  a  day  we 
traveled  south  to  the 
home  of  the  Clallam. 
Their  village,  like 
ours,  was  close  to  the 
water,  but  their  houses 
were  smaller,  and  they 
had  no  carved  posts 
or  dance  masks. 
Their  village  was  on 
small,  quiet  waters  far 

The  snow  mountains  ^^^^"^    ^^^   ^P^^    0^^^^. 

You  have  seen  noth- 
ing like  that  land  or  its  ways.  All  the 
heads  of  our  people  taken  by  the  Clallam  were 
stuck  on  the  tops  of  poles  in  front  of  their 
houses. 

"My  heart  was  always  heavy,  and  I  waited  for 
a  time  when  I  could  steal  a  canoe  and  return  to 
my  home-land.     My  owner  saw  the  thoughts  in 


Ways  of  the  Clayoquot 


73 


A  dancing  scene 

my  heart,  and  took  me  to  Nisqualli  ^  and  there 
traded  me  to  people  who  lived  far  from  the  water, 
eastward  across  the  snow  mountains. 

"My  heart  was  sick  in  this  strange  land.  The 
air  was  dry  and  hot.  The  great  treeless  plains 
burned  vmder  the  scorching  sun.  I  constantly 
longed  for  my  father's  home-land  by  the  Great 
Water,  and  the  cool  shadows  of  its  forests.  The 
food  of  a  slave  was  bitter  in  the  mouth  of  one 
who  was  the  son  of  a  great  chief. 

"Salish,  I  have  told  you  the  story  of  my  youth. 
Now  I  would  see  your  young  men  and  women 
dance.    I  will  rest." 

Lone  Pine  rose  to  his  feet. 


'  Nisqualli  is  an  extensive  prairie  at  the  head  of  Pnget  Sound, 
through  which  flows  Nisqualli  River.  This  region,  the  home  of 
the  Nisqualli  tribe,  was  visited  ever\'  autumn  by  Indians  from 
near  and  far,  to  gather  acorns  and  to  trade. 


74  Indian  Bays  of  the  Long  Ago 


Young  men  dancing 

^'Salish,  the  words  of  He  Who  Was  Dead 
And  Lives  Again  are  wonderful.  We  cannot 
understand  the  fish  as  big  as  a  hundred  buffalo. 
We  thought  the  man-size  fish,  the  sturgeon, 
taken  from  the  great  river,  was  the  largest  of  fish. 
And  when  he  tells  us  of  men  eating  the  bodies  of 
other  men,  our  hearts  are  sick  and  we  are  glad 
we  do  not  have  such  evil  ways.  Great  was  the 
story  of  our  friend. 

"Now,  young  men,  you  will  dance.  Let  us 
see  how  strong  are  your  legs.  The  old  men  and 
women  will  feel  young  again.  When  it  is  your 
time  to  dance,  be  happy,  and  show  our  visitors 
that  the  eyes  of  the  Salish  are  as  bright  as  any 
in  the  land." 

Far  into  the  night  lasted  the  dancing.  At 
times  the  young  men  performed  alone,  at  times 
in  company  with  the  maids.  Furious  was  the 
dancing  of  the  old  chiefs  and  warriors,  as  they 
acted  in  pantomime  the  story  of  their  battles. 


Ways  of  the  Clayoquot  75 

Kukiisim  danced  alone,  with  every  eye  upon  his 
supple  movements,  and  no  one  shouted  louder 
approval  than  his  new  grandfather.  His  happy 
smile  told  Kukusim  that  he  had  a  real  place  in 
the  heart  of  the  old  man. 


HE   WHO   MADE  ALL  THINGS   FIRST 


On  the  day  after  the  dance  a  big  thought  came 
to  Kiikusim. 

"Grandfather,"  he  said,  "will  you  go  with 
Scarface  and  me  to  our  traps,  and  in  the  forest 
perhaps  tell  us  a  story?" 

"My  son,  you  should  not  have  so  bold  a  heart," 
said  his  mother,  reprovingly. 

"Scold  not!"  said  the  old  man.  "My  heart 
was  empty,  and  I  have  taken  him  for  my  grand- 
son. Not  wishing  to  be  selfish  in  his  pleasures, 
Kukusim  has  asked  to  have  Scarface  with  him. 
That  is  good.     I  shall  have  two  grandsons." 

Soon  they  were  away  to  the  forest,  the  broad- 
shouldered  man  and  the  two  boys.  As  the  trail 
approached  a  deep,  quiet  pool  in  the  river,  Ku- 
kiisim  whispered,  "Here  lives  the  Father  Fish 
of  the  river." 

They  stood  quietly  and  looked  into  the  clear 
water,  and  far  below  lay  the 
monster.       His     body     was 
^^^  ^^^^     nearly    as    long    as    that    of 
/     ^^^"R      Kukusim. 

"Some  day  I  will  show  my 

grandson   how   to   catch   that 

fish,"  promised  the  Clayoquot. 

A  blue  jay  perched   on  a 

high    limb     shook    his    head 

and  scolded,  and  a  kingfisher 

dived  into  the  water  and  came  up  with  a  small 

fish. 

7^ 


He  Who  Made  All  Things  First         11 


"I  will  tell  sometime 
the  story  of  how  the  blue 
jay  got  his  topknot," 
went  on  the  old  man. 
"That  topknot  was  once 
his  war-club." 

"Listen,  Grandfather. 
Hear  the  drumming  of 
the  partridge!  Do  you 
know  a  story  of  that?" 

"Come  close,  my 
Grandsons,  that  I  may 
tell  you  a  great  secret." 

They  nestled  close  to 
him,  and  he  put  his 
arms  about  them. 

"Yes,  Grandsons,  the 
partridge  has  a  story. 
The  squirrel  which  sits 
on  yonder  limb  and  scolds  our  presence  has  a 
story.  Do  you  see  that  tiny  insect  crawling  on 
the  ground?  It  too  has  a  story.  See  that  great 
pine  with  its  roots  drawing  life  from  the  earth, 
our  Mother,  and  its  branches  reaching  out  to  the 
sky,  our  Father,  and  that  slender  blade  of  grass 
growing  at  its  roots.  Each,  my  grandsons,  has 
its  own  story.  Look!  Do  you  see  that  tiny 
speck  against  the  clouds?  That  is  a  pelican. 
See  that  tiny  bird  flashing  from  flower  to  flower. 
All  have  their  stories.  And  there  is  a  monster 
bird  which  men  see  only  in  visions," 


W4 


Kiiki'isim's  mother 


78  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

In  wide-eyed  wonder  Kukusim  asked,  ''Grand- 
father, can  you  tell  all  those  stories?" 

"The  sun  is  looking  at  us  through  the  trees. 
Each  day  it  comes  out  of  the  east  and  travels  to 
the  west,  and  never  grows  tired.  Some  of  the 
people  say  the  sun  is  the  Great  Father,  and  sees 
all  the  animals,  birds,  insects,  trees,  fish,  and 
plants,  and  knows  their  stories.  Others  say  the 
sun  is  only  the  scout  of  the  One  Who  Knows 
All,  and  is  sent  out  each  day  to  do  his  work,  to 
give  light,  to  give  warmth,  to  make  happy  the 
people.  The  Apsaroke  call  this  powerful  per- 
son I-tsik-ba-dish,  which  means  He  Who  Made 
All  Things  First.  They  say  that  he  made  all 
things,  does  all  things,  hears  all  things,  sees  all 
things." 

"I-tsik-ba-dish,"  repeated  the  two  boys,  "He 
Who  Made  All  Things  First."  Wider  grew 
their  eyes  with  wonder. 

"Does  he  hear  that  squirrel  talking  to  us? 
Does  he  see  that  little  flower?  Does  he  know 
the  little  stone  which  I  took  from  the  water's 
edge?" 

"Yes,  my  Grandsons,  the  Apsaroke  think  so." 

"Then,  Grandfather,  he  sees  us  sitting  here, 
and  hears  our  words.  If  we  walk  and  talk  in  the 
dark,  does  he  see  us  and  know  our  thoughts?" 

"Yes,  my  Grandsons." 

So  big  was  the  idea,  that  long  were  the  boys 
speechless.  Many  thoughts  came  to  Kukusim, 
and  his  mind  was  full  of  questions. 


He  Who  Made  All  Things  First         79 


^^w 


Each  day  the  sun  starts  upon  its  journey 


"Grandfather,  last  night  you  told  of  the  great 
fish  killed  by  your  father.  A  fish  so  large  must 
have  a  great  story.    Could  you  tell  us  that?" 

"Yes,  the  whale  has  a  story,  and  soon  you 
shall  hear  it.  But,  my  Grandson,  sometimes  the 
smaller  animal  has  a  bigger  story  than  the  large 
one.  Perhaps  the  reason  of  that  is  that  the 
smaller  animal  thinks  more.  In  my  father's  land 
the  little  mink  has  a  story  bigger  than  the  whale's 
story." 

"We  know  the  mink.  We  often  see  him  play- 
ing by  the  river,  and  once  I  caught  one  in  a  trap. 
Grandfather,  let  us  go  and  look  at  the  rabbit 
snares." 

They  found  the  first  one  just  as  they  had  left 
it.  No  rabbit  had  been  that  way.  Then  came  a 
thought  to  Kukusim. 

"Perhaps  I-tsik-ba-dish  told  the  rabbit  about 
that  trap,  and  he  kept  away." 


80  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

"My  Grandsons,  I  do  not  think  it  was  I-tsik- 
ba-dish;  but  the  rabbit  which  was  caught  before 
and  made  his  escape  told  his  brothers,  and  they 
all  kept  away  from  this  trail." 

Soon  they  reached  the  swamp  where  the  bear 
had  been  seen,  and  the  boys  told  their  new 
grandfather  of  the  mother  and  the  baby  bear; 
but  they  did  not  tell  him  how  frightened  they 
had  been.  However,  he  had  been  a  boy  once, 
and  knew. 

"When  the  bear  snorted  and  ran,  my  boys  felt 
weak  in  the  knees,  I  think." 

"How  did  you  know  that.  Grandfather?" 

"Old  men  know  a  great  deal,  my  Grandsons." 

"Then  I-tsik-ba-dish,  who  knows  all  things, 
must  be  very  old.  Grandfather." 

"Yes,  Grandsons,  he  is  old.  The  Piegan  call 
this  person  Napiw,  which  means  Old  Man." 

"Grandfather,"  laughed  Scarface,  "you  know 
so  many  things  that  we  should  call  you  Napiw." 

At  the  second  snare  they  found  a  rabbit  held 
high  by  the  noose.  The  boys  shouted  with  glee 
and  thought  of  what  a  fine  supper  it  would 
make. 


Lonely  travelers 


He  Wlio  Made  All  Thifigs  First         81 


The  men  wore  skins  of  strange  animals 

The  third  snare  was  sprung,  and  empty. 

"Perhaps  that  was  a  mother  rabbit,"  sug- 
gested Kukiisim,  "and  her  baby  needed  her.  I 
am  not  sorry  that  the  snare  did  not  hold  her." 

"Grandfather,  you  have  not  told  us  a  real  story 
yet.  Let  us  sit  here  under  the  pine,  while  you 
tell  about  some  of  the  animals." 

The  old  man  did  not  speak  for  a  long  time. 
He  closed  his  eyes  and  leaned  back  against  the 
tree  trunk,  and  the  boys  knew  he  was  seeing  many 
things. 

"My  Grandsons,  as  your  fathers  have  told  you, 
there  was  a  time  when  all  the  animals  and  men 
were  alike,  and  the  old  men  say  they  all  talked 
together.  The  animals  could  lay  off  their  skins 
and  feathers  like  shirts,  and  go  about  like  human 
beings.  Then  came  a  time  when  men  spoke  dif- 
ferent words,  and  did  not  wear  skins  like  the 
bear,  the  wolf,  and  the  cougar,  or  feathers  like 
the  eagle  and  the  goose.     I  will  tell  of  the  time 


82  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


UiM 


when  men  and  animals  were  one,  the  long  ago 
stories.  The  first  will  be  a  tale  related  by  the 
people  living  at  the  mouth  of  the  Big  River  in 
the  west  [Columbia],  and  is  of  the  time  when 
an  evil  creature  was  destroying  the  people." 


l£4JJ 


ADVENTURES  OF  COYOTE 

"At  the  mouth  of  the  Great  River  lived  an 
ogress.  She  would  tie  a  captive  upon  a  cradle- 
board  and  send  it  adrift  into  the  fog  with  the 
command,  *Go  forever!'  After  a  while  the  board 
would  come  floating  back  to  her  out  of  the  fog, 
with  nothing  but  bones  on  it.  For  it  had  been  to 
a  place  of  such  great  heat  that  the  flesh  had  been 
melted  from  the  bones. 

"On  the  sandy  beach  sat  many  people  await- 
ing their  turn.  The  magic  of  the  ogress  made 
them  unable  to  run  away. 

"Then  came  Coyote,  who  in  those  days  looked 
like  a  man. 

"He  said,  *I  will  try  that,  and  soon  I  shall 
return.' 

"So  he  was  tied  to  the  board,  and  as  he  floated 
away  the  ugly  old  woman  cried,  'Go  forever!' 
But  the  people  shouted,  'Come  back  again!' 

"The  board  disappeared,  but  after  a  long  time 
it  was  seen  again  coming  ashore  with  Coyote  still 
tied  fast,  unhurt.  He  was  too  strong  for  the 
magic  of  the  ogress. 

"Wishing  to  show  that  she  was  just  as  strong, 
the  old  woman  now  allowed  Coyote  to  bind  her 
to  the  cradle-board,  and  as  she  went  drifting  out 
into  the  fog,  all  the  captive  people  joined  Coyote 
in  the  shout,  'Go  forever!'  In  time  the  board 
came  back  with  nothing  but  her  white  bones  on 
it.  And  so  the  people  were  saved  from  this  evil 
being. 

83 


84  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

"Coyote  then  went  up  the  river  bank  to  a  place 
where  two  women  had  all  the  salmon  penned  in 

a  pond.  He  saw 
the  women  in  a 
canoe  gathering 
driftwood  for 
fuel,  and  he 
changed  him- 
self into  a  piece 
of  wood  and 
floated  down  the 
stream.  He 
wished  them  to 
take  him,  so  that 
he  might  free 
the  salmon;  but 
they  let  him 
drift  by.  Then 
he  went  back 
above  the  place 
and  changed  himself  into  a  baby  on  a  cradle- 
board.  When  the  crjang  baby  floated  near  the 
canoe,  one  of  the  women  drew  it  out  of  the  water 
and  took  it  home  to  care  for  it.  They  gave  the 
child  a  piece  of  dried  eel  to  suck,  and  it  fell 
asleep. 

"In  the  morning  they  gave  him  another  piece 
of  eel  and  went  out  to  gather  more  wood.  As 
soon  as  they  were  gone,  Coyote  untied  the  cords 
that  fastened  him  to  the  cradle-board  and  turned 
himself  back  into  a  man.     He  took  five  sharp 


Coyote  went  up  the  river 


Adventures  of  Coyote  85 


Letting  out  the  salmon 

oak  sticks  which  the  women  used  for  digging 
roots,  and  ran  to  the  pond  where  the  salmon 
were.  Only  a  narrow  piece  of  land  was  between 
the  pond  and  the  great  river.  Coyote  began  to 
dig  away  the  earth  as  fast  as  he  could.  When 
one  stick  was  broken  he  took  another  and  dug 
away.  He  was  using  his  fifth  digger  when  the 
women  saw  what  he  was  doing. 

"  *Oh/  cried  the  elder  sister,  *we  shall  lose  all 
our  fine  fish,  and  then  we  shall  have  nothing  to 
eat  but  roots!' 

"They  paddled  swiftly  toward  Coyote,  but 
just  as  the  canoe  reached  the  shore,  he  pried 
off  the  last  mass  of  earth.  Water  began  to  pour 
out  of  the  pond  into  the  river,  and  the  salmon 
were  carried  with  it. 

"Coyote  picked  up  a  lump  of  white  clay  and 
ran  toward  the  two  sisters. 

"  *It  is  not  right  for  you  to  have  all  these 
fish  penned  up!'  he  cried. 


86  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

"He  threw  the  piece  of  clay  and  it  struck  the 
younger  sister  on  the  forehead,  leaving  a  white 
mark.  He  did  the  same  to  the  other,  and  then 
said: 

"  'You  two  shall  be  swallows,  and  shall  be  seen 
at  salmon  time.' 

"And  the  two  women  were  turned  into  birds, 
and  flew  away.  And  now,  each  year  when  the 
salmon  come,  many  swallows  are  seen  building 
their  nests  in  the  rocks.  The  salmon  swam  up 
the  Great  River,  and  since  then  all  the  people 
on  its  banks  and  on  the  streams  that  flow  into 
it  have  had  salmon  for  food. 

"Farther  up  the  river  Coyote  saw  a  canoe  in 
midstream.  Soon  the  head  of  a  man  came  up 
near  the  canoe,  and  the  man  had  a  large  fish 
under  each  arm.  He  threw  them  into  the  boat, 
and  dived  for  more. 

"This  was  very  strange.  A  man  catching  fish 
by  diving!  While  the  man  was  under  the  wa- 
ter. Coyote  swam  out  and  took  one  of  the  fish. 
Then  he  hid  behind  a  large  oak  and  watched. 
The  diver  came  up  again  and  counted  his  fish. 
He  climbed  into  his  canoe  and  sat  there  looking 
at  them.  Soon  he  pointed  his  finger  straight  up 
at  the  sky  and  moved  it  in  a  circle.  At  last, 
when  the  finger  pointed  directly  at  the  oak,  it 
stopped. 

"In  great  fear  Coyote  dodged,  but  the  finger 
kept  following  him.  Then  the  fisherman  paddled 
ashore,  and  Coyote  saw  that  he  had  no  mouth. 


Adventures  of  Coyote 


87 


The  strange  man 
walked  toward  Coyote, 
all  the  time  pointing 
his  finger.  He  could 
not  speak,  and  Coyote 
thought  that  this  was 
his  way  of  blaming 
him  for  stealing  the 
fish. 

"Then  Coyote  gath- 
ered some  stones,  built 
a  fire,  and  cooked  the  j 
fish  on  the  hot  stones. 
He  gave  a  piece  to  the 
stranger,  who  smelled 
it  and  threw  it  away. 
Coyote  thought  for  a 
moment,  then  took  a 
sharp  piece  of  stone, 
felt  the  fisherman's 
face,  and  suddenly  cut 
a  straight  slit  where 
the  mouth  should  be. 

"  *Be  quick  and 
wash  your  face!'  he 
cried. 

"When  the  man  had 
washed   off   the   blood, 
he  ate  the  fish  and  said, 
'My  friend,  you  should 
fish.' 


^  'S'^ 


A  girl  of  the  Columbia  River 

have  cooked  a  larger 


88  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

"  'Why,'  said  Coyote,  Voii  nearly  poked  out 
my  eye  for  taking  this  small  one !' 

"The  man  now  led  Coyote  to  his  village,  where 
all  the  people  were  without  mouths.  Coyote 
made  mouths  for  all  of  them,  but  he  cut  them 
a  little  too  large.  That  is  why  the  people  of 
that  village  to  this  day  have  larger  mouths  than 
others,  and  talk  more  loudly. 

"At  another  place  Coyote  saw  a  man  turning 
somersaults,  landing  on  his  head  and  yelling 
loudly  as  if  it  hurt  him.  Wondering  what  this 
meant.  Coyote  went  closer  and  found  that  the 
man  had  his  ankles  tied  and  between  his  legs  a 
bundle  of  firewood. 

"  'What  is  the  matter,  my  friend?'  asked 
Coyote. 

'  There  is  nothing  the  matter,'  answered 
the  man.  'I  am  carrying  this  firewood  to  my 
house.' 

"  'But  that  is  no  way  to  carry  wood,'  said 
Coyote. 

"He  untied  the  man's  legs,  cut  some  withes, 
twisted  them  into  a  rope,  and  attached  it  to  the 
bundle  of  wood.  Then  he  swung  the  fagot  to  his 
back,  passing  the  loop  of  the  rope  across  his  fore- 
head, and  so  he  carried  it  for  the  man.  Thus 
the  people  of  that  village  first  learned  the  use 
of  the  pack-strap. 

"After  a  while  Coyote  in  his  travels  came  to  a 
stream  [White  Salmon  River]  flowing  into  the 
Great  River.     Here  was  a  very  large  village. 


Adventures 

As  he  sat  on  the  bank 
he  said,  'I  wish  some 
young  person  would 
get  me  a  drink  of 
water.' 

"  A  woman  an- 
swered: 'Nobody  here 
drinks  water.  We 
have  a  hard  time  to  get 
it.' 

"He  asked  what  was 
the  trouble,  and  in 
order  to  show  him  a 
young  girl  was  sent 
with  a  pail.  Coyote 
carefully  watched  her. 
She  waded  into  the 
stream  and  began  to 
dip  up  water.  Sud- 
denly she  dropped  the 
vessel,  screamed,  and 
ran  away.  Another 
girl  was  sent  for  water, 
and  she  behaved  in  the 
same  way.  Then  Co- 
yote himself  waded  into 
the  stream  at  the  same 
spot  and  dipped  a  pail 
full  of  water.  He  saw 
two  white  salmon  chas- 
ing each  other  in  fun 


of  Coyote  89 

1 


90  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


with  mouths  wide   open.     'This   is  what   these 
foolish  people  fear,'  he  said  to  himself. 

"When  he  brought  the  water,  a  great  crowd 

of  thirsty  people  ran  to 
him.  Pie  carried  water 
until  all  were  satisfied. 
Then  Coyote  went  into 
the  woods  and  cut  some 
long  poles  and  gath- 
ered some  long  strings 
of  bark.  With  these  he 
made  spears,  and  then 
taught  the  people  of 
this  village  how  to 
spear  salmon  and  cook 
them  on  hot  stones. 

"Coyote's  next  ad- 
venture was  with  an 
ogress  and  Owl,  her 
husband.  These  two  evil 
creatures  would  catch 
people,  roast  them  in  a  pit,  and  eat  them.  Co- 
yote thought  for  a  long  time  how  he  might  over- 
come them.  Then  he  cut  some  green  fir  cones 
into  bits  and  dried  them.  He  placed  them  on 
strings  like  beads,  and  tied  the  strings  around 
his  legs,  arms,  and  neck,  in  many  close  rows. 
Then  he  covered  himself  with  a  robe  and  went 
to  the  home  of  the  ogress. 

"She  came  out  to  meet  him  and  asked,  'Where 
are  you  going?' 


Carrying  with  pack-strap 


Adventures  of  Coyote 
"He  answered: 


91 


*You  see  where 
the  sun  comes  out 
in  the  morning? 
That  is  where  I 
am  going.  My 
wife  died  a  few 
days  ago  and  I 
feel  sad  and  do 
not  wish  to  re- 
main at  home. 
She  was  a  good 
wife.  So  I  do 
not  like  to  talk  to 
women  yet.' 

"He  began  to 
dance,  and  the 
dry  cones  under 
his  robe  rattled. 
The  ogress  ran 
up  to  take  him 
by  the  arm,  but 
he  dodged. 

"She  asked, 
'How  did  you  be- 
come so  that  you 
could  make  that 
sound  when  you 
dance?' 

"  *You  need  not  ask  that,'  he  replied,  'because 
I  would  not  tell  you,  no  matter  how  much  you 


92  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

might  pay  me.     If  I  told  you  that,  you  would 
never  have  to  hunt  for  food,  but  only  dance  thus 

and  the  people 
would  come  to  you. 
Then  you  would 
have  only  the  work 
of  cooking  them.' 

"He  started  as  if 
to  leave  her,  but  she 
came  up  with  him 
again  and  begged 
to  know  how  he 
made  that  sound. 
He  pretended  that 
he  did  not  wish  to 
tell,  but  at  last  he 
agreed  to  give  her 
the  secret. 

"Said  he:  'It  is 
my  bones  that  rattle  when  I  dance.  I  had  my 
body  covered  with  pitch,  eyes  and  all.  Then  I 
was  put  on  the  fire.  The  pitch  burned  over  my 
skin,  and  my  bones  were  roasted  dry.  That  is 
why  they  rattle,  because  they  are  dry  and 
charred.  Hear  my  head!'  and  he  shook  it. 
'Hear  my  legs !'  and  he  shook  them. 

"  'Good!'  said  the  ogress.  'I  am  glad  to  know 
this,  and  I  shall  do  it.  Let  us  go  up  and  you  can 
work  on  me.' 

"She  led  him  up  to  the  pit  where  she  cooked 
the  captured  people.    All  around  the  edge  of  this 


The  Ogress 


Adventures  of  Coyote 


93 


The  Witch's  cooking  pit 

great  hole  sat  her  captives,  old  and  young,  wait- 
ing for  their  turn  to  be  roasted.  All  were  weep- 
ing, and  around  the  pit  were  piles  of  bones. 

"Coyote  sent  some  of  the  prisoners  into  the 
woods  for  pitch,  and  soon  they  brought  what  was 
needed.  A  great  fire  was  built,  and  Coyote  cov- 
ered the  body  of  the  ogress  thickly  with  pitch. 
Then  he  pushed  her  into  the  fire,  and  at  once  she 
began  to  blaze.  Coyote  quickly  gave  each  of  five 
men  a  forked  pole,  one  to  hold  her  down  by  the 
neck,  the  others  by  the  legs  and  arms.  When- 
ever Coyote  ordered  her  to  be  turned,  they  rolled 
her  over.  In  a  short  time  the  creature  was  dead, 
and  Coyote  sent  the  people  to  their  homes. 

"Soon  Coyote  saw  Owl,  the  husband,  coming 
home  with  a  great  number  of  prisoners.  He 
threw  a  handful  of  ashes  at  Owl,  and  said:  'This 
is  not  the  way  to  do.  It  is  wrong  to  roast  these 
people.  There  is  going  to  be  another  kind  of 
people  here,  and  this  must  stop.     I  have  killed 


94  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


On  the  banks  of  the  Columbia 

your  wife  because  she  did  this.  From  now  on 
you  shall  be  nothing  but  a  bird,  and  your  name 
shall  be  Owl,  and  you  shall  live  among  these 
rocks.  Once  in  a  great  while  your  voice  shall  be 
heard,  and  then  some  one  will  die.' 

"As  Coyote  finished  speaking.  Owl  was 
changed  into  a  bird,  and  his  feathers  were  gray 
because  of  the  ashes. 

"So  Coyote  traveled  far  and  wide,  changing 
evil  beings  into  harmless  things.  Sometimes  he 
made  mistakes;  but  all  things  as  they  are  now, 
good  or  bad,  were  made  so  by  Coyote." 

A  satisfied  sigh  came  from  the  two  boys. 
"Truly,  a  wonderful  person  was  Coyote!"  ex- 
claimed Kukiisim. 

"And  truly,  foolish  were  the  people  in  those 
days,"  said  Scarface.  "Did  they  know  nothing 
of  the  ways  we  have?" 

"That  was  long,  long  ago,"  explained  the  old 
man,  "and  they  had  not  yet  learned.     Knowl- 


Adventures  of  Coyote  95 


edge  comes  slowly.  Men  with  great  hearts  find 
new  and  hetter  ways,  and  Coyote,  I  suppose, 
was  one  of  those  great  ones." 


FOUR  MOONS  TELLS  ABOUT  THE  MANDAN 

The  sun  was  low  when  the  old  man  and  his  boy 
companions  reached  the  camp.  The  herald  was 
going  about  the  encampment  announcing  the 
council  of  the  evening,  and  they  stopped  to 
listen. 

"Salish,  tonight  we  are  to  gather  again  in 
the  council  lodge.  This  night  Four  Moons 
will  tell  us  of  things  he  has  seen  on  his  long 
travels.  Young  men  and  w^omen,  dress  for  the 
dance!  Let  us  dance  that  our  hearts  may  be 
glad!" 

As  they  came  to  the  chief's  lodge,  Kukusim's 
mother  gently  chided  the  boys:  "You  were  gone 
so  long  that  I  thought  perhaps  the  Thunder 
Birds  ^  had  stolen  you." 

"No,   Mother,  we  did  not  see  the  Thunder 

^  Many  Indian  tribes  believe  that  in  the  sky  live  huge  birds, 
the  flash  of  whose  eyes  causes  the  lightning  and  the  flapping  of 
whose  wings,  the  thunder. 

96 


Four  Moons  Tells  About  the  Mandan     97 


Birds,  but  I  learned  many  strange  things,  and 
when  I  am  a  man  I  am  going  to  travel  far  to  see 

them    for   m  y  s  e  1  f .      I  

shall  take  Scarface  with 
me." 

"When  you  have 
grown  to  be  a  man  you 
will  have  a  wife,  and  she 
will  see  that  you  go  each 
day  to  hunt  and  fish, 
that  there  may  be  food 
in  the  lodge.  Little 
time  will  you  have  to 
wander  in  strange  lands 
when  you  have  a  wife  to 
feed." 

"No,  Mother,  I  shall 
take  no  wife  until  I  am 
an  old  man.  Meanwhile 
I  shall  be  a  warrior,  a  singer,  and  a  wanderer." 

"Eat  your  food,  and  prattle  not  of  wandering. 
It  was  but  yesterday  you  were  a  babe  at  my 
breast.    You  are  not  yet  a  man." 

Soon  the  people  were  again  in  the  long  lodge 
for  an  evening  of  stories  and  merry-making. 
After  the  smoke  Lone  Pine  rose  to  his  feet  and 
said : 

"Last  night  we  were  told  of  the  land  where  the 
sun  goes  to  sleep.  Tonight  the  one  who  came 
from  the  land  of  the  new  day  will  talk  to  us.  Our 
friend  Four  Moons  will  speak.     I  have  said  it." 


98  Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


r  '^ 

.  -  — ._ 

""■"  ■"   ■ 

- .-  -,™™, 

"^^_ 

-'^^dti 

1^ 

Wi 

y 

^ 

,  .4^ 

■^m 

^ 

M 

r     tflH 

P^l 

sPPil 

■ 

m 

K 

T^^^ 

~--tr" 

rJE^ 

mH 

The  earth  lodge 

Four  Moons  slowly  rose,  looked  about  over  Ills' 
audience,  and  in  the  sign  language  began  his 
speech. 

"Salish,  I  am  more  a  stranger  to  you  than  He 
Who  Was  Dead  And  Lives  Again,  as  I  speak 
no  word  of  your  tongue.  So  with  my  hands  alone 
I  must  tell  my  story. 

"Last  night  our  friend  from  the  western  water 
spoke  of  the  home  of  his  father.  The  trail  to 
my  father's  home  is  so  long  that  tonight  I  see  it 
only  as  through  a  heavy  fog.  I  will  think  much, 
and  another  night  the  trail  will  be  clearer.  To- 
night I  will  tell  you  of  a  people  closer  to  you. 

"They  live  in  the  center  of  the  country  where 
feed  so  many  of  the  buffalo,  and  they  are  called 
the  People  of  the  Earth-covered  Houses.^  Their 
villages  are  beside  a  big  river.     Its  waters  are 

^  Many  tribes  applied  this  name  to  the  Mandan,  who  lived  in 
several  fortified  villages  of  hemispherical  houses  on  the  Missouri 
River,  in  what  is  now  North  Dakota.  The  Mandan,  who  are  now 
nearly  extinct,  are  related  to  the  Sioux,  although  they  never  were 
friendly  with  them.  The  traditions  of  the  Mandan  indicate  that 
they  once  lived  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Mississippi. 


Four  Moons  Tells  About  the  Mandan    99 


not  clear  like  the  stream  we  now  hear  flowing 
swiftly  through  the  forest,  but  thick  with  mud, 
and  of  the  color  of  the  ripened  prairie  grass. 
They  live  not  in  houses  of  skins,  blankets,  or 
rushes,  but  in  structures  built  of  logs  covered 
with  earth — cool  in  summer,  warm  in  winter. 
They  kill  many  buffalo,  yet  do  not  have  only  that 
food.  They  have  fields  where  they  raise  corn  and 
squashes,  as  did  my  father's  people. 

"They  sing  songs  and  make  prayers,  the  words 
of  which,  they  say,  cause  the  game  to  be  plentiful ; 
and  they  sing  and  pray  to  the  spirits  who  care  for 
the  crops,  for  it  is  most  important  that  the  corn 
grow  and  ripen  well. 

"The  stories  of  long  ago  say  that  these  people 
traveled  far  to  reach  this  home-land.  In  the  be- 
ginning they  lived  far  away  in  the  south,  where 
the  sun  ever  shines  and  the  birds  always  sing. 
For  the  period  of  many  lives  they  traveled,  al- 
ways up  the  great  river.  When  they  find  it  nec- 
essary to  cross  this  stream  they  use  a  boat  which 


100        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

would  bring  a  laugh  to  the  face  of  our  friend 
from  the  western  water.  It  is  small  and  round, 
like  one  of  your  horn  dishes, 
and  will  carry  but  two  people. 
It  is  made  by  stretching  fresh 
buffalo  skins  over  a  framework 
of  willows.  They  told  me  of  a 
war  party  that  used  more  than 
a  hundred  of  these. 

"The  strangest  thing  about 
the  People  of  the  Earth-cov- 
ered Lodges  is  their  great 
dance. 

"In  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  they  say,  there  was  but 
one  man  on  the  earth,  and  the 
name  by  which  they  call  him 
is  One  Man.  The  ground  was  not  yet  hardened, 
and  in  order  not  to  break  through  the  crust  he 
had  to  run  quickly.  He  it  was  who  created 
rivers,  lakes,  springs,  hills,  and  trees,  making 
the  earth  ready  for  the  people  who  were  to  come. 
"As  he  ran  about  the  land.  One  Man  was  al- 
ways looking  for  other  beings  like  himself.  At 
last  he  decided  to  make  some. 

"At  the  place  where  the  river  flows  into  the 
Great  Water  far  away  in  the  south,  he  took  the 
lower  rib  from  each  side  of  his  body.  Of  the 
right  he  formed  a  man,  and  of  the  left  a  woman. 
He  left  them  together,  and  when  he  returned  he 
found  they  had  two  children,  a  boy  and  a  girl. 


Four  Moons  Tells  Al)o0  tfie  Mdndaii  101 


Turtles  that  look  like  islands 


He  lifted  the  children  up  into  the  air  and  sang, 
and  thus  caused  them  to  become  at  once  man 
and  woman.  In  the  same  way  three  more  men 
and  women  were  created. 

"There  were  now  five  pairs  of  human  beings, 
and  these  were  the  beginning  of  the  five  villages 
of  the  People  of  the  Earth-covered  Lodges.  So 
say  the  old  men. 

"After  many  years  One  Man  again  came  back 
from  his  wanderings  over  the  earth,  and  lived 
among  them.  He  began  to  wonder  what  he  could 
do  to  help  the  people  become  strong.  He  de- 
cided, with  the  aid  of  Black  Eagle,  a  magician, 
to  teach  them  a  new  dance,  which  would  cause  the 
spirits  to  favor  them. 

"Eight  buffalo  masks  were  made,  and  for  the 
drum  they  tried  Badger.  But  one  blow  of  the 
drumstick  drove  his  legs  into  the  ground,  strong 
as  he  was. 

"Then  they  asked  Beaver  to  be  the  drum,  but 


102        Ifidi^n  J)(iys  of  the  Long  Ago 

he  said  f  *1  am  soft,  for  I  live  in  the  mud.     If 
Badger  was  not  good,  I  surely  would  not  do.' 

"In  his  search  for  some  animal  to  be  the  drum, 
One  Man  came  to  the  Great  Water.  Having 
magic  power,  he  walked  far  out  on  the  water.  In 
the  distance  he  saw  what  seemed  to  be  a  clump  of 
weeds;  but  going  closer  he  found  it  to  be  large 
oaks  growing  from  the  cracks  in  the  shells  of 
four  huge  Turtles.  The  Turtles  were  like 
islands ;  their  shells  were  like  rough  rocks  of  many 
colors. 

"  'My  friends,'  said  One  Man,  *I  am  looking 
for  a  drum.  My  people  have  fine  corn  and  good 
food,  and  I  beg  you  to  go  with  me.' 

"Said  they:  'We  are  just  like  land  in  this  place. 
We  are  very  heavy.  But  if  you  can  take  us  we 
will  go.' 

"One  Man  stretched  out  his  magic  staff  and 
made  the  water  walk  back.     He  stooped  to  lift 

the  Turtles, 
but  they  were 
much  too 
heavy. 

"  'Look  well 

at  our  bodies,' 

they  said  to 

him;  'then  go  home  and  make  buffalo-skin  shells 

just  like  ours,  and  we  will  go  into  them.' 

"So  One  Man  went  home,  and  with  thick  buf- 
falo-skin he  made  four  drums,  which  looked  just 
like  the  great  Turtles.     And  the  spirits  of  the 


Turtle-Drums 


Four  Moons  Tells  About  the  Mandan  103 


The  Mandan  dance 


Turtles  entered  them,  and  have  been  there  ever 
since.  Then  One  Man  called  the  people  together, 
and  taught  them  the  new  dance. 

"My  friends,  I  have  seen  that  dance.  Truly, 
it  is  a  dance  for  strong  men.  It  takes  place  in  a 
big,  dirt-covered  lodge,  and  it  lasts  four  days. 
In  the  evening  of  the  first  day  all  the  young  men 
who  wish  to  have  visions  and  thus  obtain  the  aid 
of  the  spirits  come  slowly  into  the  lodge.  For 
three  days  and  three  nights  they  stay  in  the  dance 
lodge  without  food  or  water.  Only  a  strong  heart 
can  do  that.    But  that  is  not  all. 

"The  days  and  nights  are  spent  in  singing  and 
dancing.  The  singers  squat  on  the  ground  be- 
side the  buffalo-skin  drums  and  beat  on  them,  and 
while  they  sing  the  others  dance.  Some  are 
dressed  like  buffalo,  some  like  bears,  some  like 
eagles,  and  many  like  other  beasts  and  birds. 

"At  the  close  of  the  third  day  comes  the  great 
thing.    To  each  one  of  the  young  men  who  have 


104        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

been  fasting  comes  a  man  with  a  knife.  He  raises 
the  flesh  on  the  young  man's  breast  and  pushes 
the  point  of  the  knife  through  it,  making  a  slit 
in  the  flesh.  Then  he  does  the  same  thing  on  the 
other  breast. 

"Next  he  pushes  a  round  stick  through  each 
slit,  and  over  each  stick  he  fastens  a  loop  in  the 
end  of  a  long  rope.  The  rope  is  then  thrown  up 
over  a  beam  high  above  the  ground,  and  the 
dancers  pull  on  it  until  the  young  man  is  jerked 
off  his  feet.  There  he  hangs,  swinging  in  the  air, 
and  the  blood  drips  from  his  wounds. 

"Think  not,  Salish,  that  this  is  cruelty.  It  is 
the  religion  of  these  people.    When  from  hunger 


CHEYENNE    SUN-DANCE    SONG 


M.M.J  ^184. 


and  suffering  the  young  man  faints,  he  is  low- 
As  he  lies  there,  he  has  a 


ered  to  the  ground. 


Four  Moons  Tells  About  the  Mandan  105 

vision.  The  spirits  come  and  speak  to  him,  and 
teach  him  songs  which  will  give  him  strength 
throughout  his  life.  This  is  their  way,  and  they 
believe  that  so  long  as  it  is  followed  they  will  be 
a  powerful  nation. 
"That  is  the  end." 


HUNTING  THE  SEALS 


At  the  morning  meal  Kiikusim  was  thinking  of 
the  big  fish  in  the  pool,  wliich  his  new  grandfather 
had  promised  to  catch  for  them.  The  Clayoquot 
saw  his  thoughtful  eyes,  and  asked,  "What  is  it, 
my  Grandson?" 

"You  promised  to  help  me  catch  the  big  fish. 
Let  us  do  it  today." 

"So  be  it.  Grandson.  Get  Scarf  ace,  and  we 
will  go  after  him." 

Leaning  against  the  back  of  the  lodge  was  a 
long  pole  with  a  wide  prong  at  one  end.  Over 
the  two  forks  was  stretched  the  mouth  of  a  mesh 
bag.     This  was  Lone  Pine's  dip-net. 

As  a  rule  the  dip-net  was  used  only  in  taking 
salmon  from  the  eddies  of  large  streams,  but  the 
great  char  in  the  deep  pool  was  worthy  of  the 
net. 

There  was  no  need  to  caution  Kukiisim  and 
Scarface  not  to  show  themselves  to  the  fish.  Al- 
most on  their  stomachs  they  crept  to  the  edge 
of  the  overhanging  bank,  and  not  a  blade  of 
grass  was  shaken  as  their  black  eyes  peered  over. 
Far  below  like  a  dim  shadow  they  saw  the  mon- 
ster's form. 

"Slowly,  very  slowly,"  murmured  the  old  man, 
as  he  pushed  the  net  into  the  water  some  distance 
behind  the  char.  When  it  was  at  the  right  depth 
he  carefully  pushed  it  forward,  inch  by  inch,  un- 
til the  great  body  was  almost  enclosed  by  the  net. 
Then  at  the  instant  of  releasing  the  string  which 

106 


Hunting  the  Seals 


107 


held  its  mouth 
spread  open,  he 
gave  a  powerful 
forward  sweep 
with  the  pole.     The 
mouth   of   the    net 
closed    the    moment 
the  string  was  let  go, 
and    the    fish    was 
safely  caught. 

When  the  glisten- 
ing creature  lay  on  the 
grass,  the  boys  fell  upon 
the  leaping,  threshing 
body,  and  with  arms  and 
knees  held  it  fast  while 
the  old  man  killed  it  by 
striking  its  head  with  a 
stick. 

"Now  that  we  have  the 
big  fish,"  begged  Kukii- 
sim,  when  their  prize  lay 

lifeless,  "tell  us  a  story  of  your  father's  home, 
where  the  monster  fish  is." 

As  they  sat  under  the  pines  beside  the  rushing 
stream,  the  Clayoquot  said: 

"When  I  talked  in  council,  I  spoke  of  the  big 
house  of  my  father's  people.  Now  I  will  tell  you 
how  they  make  these  homes. 

"With  tools  of  stone  and  hard  wood  men  go 
into  the  forest  and  cut  down  many  large  trees. 


Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

The  first  ones  are  for  the 
four  great  posts.  In  cut- 
ting down  the  trees  they 
use  a  stone  maul  to  drive 
the  stone-pointed  chisel  into 
the  wood,  and  thus  pry  off 
great  chips.  When  the  tree 
is  down,  they  cut  off  a  piece 
long  enough  for  a  post. 
Then  with  the  same  tools 
they  make  it  into  the  shape 
wanted. 

"Now  a  man  begins  with 
small  chisels  to  carve  all 
sorts  of  figures  on  these 
posts,  —  whales,  wolves, 
bears,  eagles.  These  images  tell  the  story  of 
the  origin  of  the  names  of  those  who  are  to  live 
in  that  house. 

"On  one  of  my  father's  house  posts  was  carved 
a  great  bear,  because,  so  they  say,  in  the  time 
when  animals  could  throw  off  their  skins  and  be 
men,  his  first  ancestor  was  a  bear.  In  the  bear's 
mouth  was  a  human  body  which  the  bear  seemed 
to  be  devouring.  This  was  to  record  the  fact  that 
my  father  once  killed  a  slave  in  order  to  show 
the  people  that  his  wealth  was  so  great  he  could 
afford  to  kill  a  valuable  slave. 

"From  other  logs  the  workmen  now  split  wide 
planks  to  cover  the  house.  When  a  plank  is  first 
split  it  is  too  rough  to  use,  and  with  small  tools 


Hunting  the  Seals 


109 


they  smooth  it.  All  this  is  hard  work  and  re- 
quires much  time.  It  takes  a  number  of  men  all 
of  one  summer  to  make  planks  enough  for  a  sin- 
gle house. 

"When  the  posts  and  planks  are  put  in  place 
to  form  the  house,  there  is  a  great  feast,  and 
many  presents  are  given  away  and  great  speeches 
made." 

"In  our  camp,"  said  the  boys,  "our  mothers 
prepare  all  the  skins  and  make  the  lodges.  Do 
not  the  mothers  in  your  village  help  to  make  the 
houses?" 

"No,  that  is  not  their  part  of  the  work.  The 
men  build  the  houses,  the  women  only  take  care 
of  them  and  the  things  in  them." 

"Do  the  men  make  the  canoes,  too?" 

"Yes.  No  woman  would  know  how  to  make  a 
canoe.  Men  fell  one  of  the  forest's  largest  trees, 
and  with  stone  mauls  and  chisels  slowly  hollow  it 
out.  Sometimes  they  use  fire  to  help  in  this. 
Then,  when  it  is  roughly  shaped,  they  put  away 


110        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


Shooting  salmon 


their  mauls  and  chisels, 
and  take  small  hand  chis- 
els, and  with  these  chip, 
chip,  chip  away  for  day 
after  day  until  at  last  the 
canoe  is  almost  ready  for 
the  water. 

"To    give    it    a    final 
smoothing  they  use  fire- 
brands of  long  cedar 
splints.     These  they  hold 
close  to  the  surface  of  the 
wood  until  it  is  slightly 
charred,   and  keep  mov- 
ing  them   along.      The 
charred  surface  is  then  rubbed  off  with  a  rough 
stone,  and  finally  smoothed  with  a  bunch  of  ce- 
dar bark  worked  into  soft  fiber." 

''What  do  your  people  eat  besides  the  flesh  of 
the  whale?" 

"We  have  many  kinds  of  fish  which  are 
caught  in  different  waj^s,  and  plenty  of  clams, 
large  and  small.  And  there  are  the  sea-lion  and 
the  seal." 

Instantly  the  boys  wanted  to  know  how  these 
animals  were  caught  and  killed. 

"The  hair-seal,"  their  teacher  explained,  "lives 
in  the  Great  Water,  and  his  food  is  fish.  When 
the  sun  shines  he  lies  sleeping  on  the  rocks,  bask- 
ing in  its  warmth.  The  people  of  the  land  where 
I  was  born  are  very  fond  of  the  flesh  of  the  hair- 


Hunting  the  Seals 


111 


Harpooning  seal 


seal,  and  this  is  one  of  their  ways  of  killing  him. 
Many  times  have  I  watched  my  father. 

"He  used  a  spear  more  than  three  times  the 
height  of  a  man,  and  to  its  point  was  fastened  a 
strong  line  thirty  times  as  long  as  the  reach  of  a 
man's  two  arms.  The  other  end  of  this  line  was 
tied  about  his  waist. 

"After  removing  his  fur  robe,  my  father 
would  slip  into  the  water.  He  would  float 
under  the  surface  with  nothing  but  his  face 
and  the  top  of  his  head  showing,  and  his  long 
hair  made  him  look  very  much  like  a  swimming 
seal.  Thus  he  would  swim  toward  the  basking 
hair-seals. 

"When  he  was  close  to  them  and  in  shallow 
water,  he  would  suddenly  rush  forward  and 
throw  the  long  spear  into  one  of  them.  Then  he 
would  quickly  run  back  to  the  shore  and  brace 
his  heels  in  the  sand  to  hold  the  seal  from  es- 
caping into  the  water.    If  the  animal  was  a  small 


112        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

one  he  had  no  trouble,  but  sometimes  a  very 
large  male  would  break  the  line  and  dive  into  the 
water,  carrying  the  spear  with  him. 

"When  the  seal  was  tired  out  with  fighting  and 
bleeding,  my  father  would  run  down  and  club 
him  on  the  head.  Then  he  would  take  out  the 
spear  point  and  stop  up  the  wound  with  a  plug 
of  grass  or  a  piece  of  wood.  This  was  to  keep 
the  blood  from  running  out,  for  they  are  very 
fond  of  the  blood. 

"We  cooked  the  seal  in  this  way.  Two  small 
logs  are  laid  close  beside  each  other,  and  a  fire  is 
built  between  them.  The  seal  is  placed  on  the 
logs  over  the  flames  and  is  rolled  over  and  over 
until  all  the  hair  is  burned  off.  Then  the  crisp 
skin  is  scraped  clean  with  a  shell. 

"The  thick  fat  which  covers  the  body  of  a  seal 
is  cut  off  in  strips,  which  are  boiled  in  water.  As 
the  oil  rises  to  the  surface  of  the  water,  it  is 
skimmed  off  with  large  shells  and  poured  into  the 
clean,  dry  stomach  of  another  seal.  This  oil  my 
people  eat  with  dried  berries  and  with  cooked 
meat. 

"The  flesh  of  the  seal  is  boiled  with  the  blood. 
My  people  boil  meat  as  do  yours,  by  heating 
water  with  red-hot  stones.  Only,  instead  of  the 
water-tight  baskets  which  you  have,  the  vessel 
used  is  made  with  wide  strips  of  wood. 

''Ha  ho!  This  talk  of  the  land  and  the  food  of 
my  youth  makes  me  long  for  a  feast  on  the  fat 
flesh  of  the  hair-seal.    But  perhaps  it  would  not 


Hunting  the  Seals 


113 


taste  so  good  to  me  now  that  I  have  become 
used  to  the  juicy  meat  of  the  buffalo  and  the 
antelope. 

"Let  us  now  go  home,  that  your  mother  may 
have  the  fish  for  our  evening  meal." 


THE  SNAKE  DANCE 

Glad  was  Kukusim's  mother  to  have  so  fine  a 
fish.  Some  of  it  she  broiled  by  slicing  off  large 
steaks,  holding  them  flat  with  skewers,  and 
placing  each  piece  in  the  cleft  end  of  a  stick  thrust 
into  the  ground  beside  the  fire.  The  remainder 
she  boiled  in  water  which  she  had  heated  in  a 
skin  vessel  by  dropping  red-hot  stones  into  it 
until  it  bubbled. 

As  they  ate  their  evening  meal,  Kukusim's 
mother  asked :  "What  new  and  wonderful  things 
did  you  learn  today?  If  you  spend  many  days 
with  our  guest  you  will  know  more  than  Seven 
Stars,  the  story  teller.  I  know  he  is  already 
jealous  of  you." 

"Soon  my  grandfather  is  to  teach  me  songs." 

"Soon  you  are  to  go  to  the  mountains  and 
look  for  songs  for  yourself.  Your  father  and 
Seven  Stars  have  already  talked  of  your  going." 

Such  warning  words  he  had  often  heard,  and 
knew  that  before  many  moons  had  passed  he, 
like  other  boys,  must  go  into  the  lonely  places, 
looking  for  spiritual  power.  Even  now  he  could 
hear  his  father  and  the  Clayoquot  talking  of 
many  good  things  which  had  come  to  them 
through  their  fasting. 

While  they  were  still  eating,  the  herald  was 
riding  about  the  camp,  calling  out:  "Tonight  He 
Who  Was  Dead  And  Lives  Again  will  tell  us 
more  about  his  travels,  and  again  we  shall  dance. 
Let  us  dance  well  tonight,  for  our  chief.  Lone 

114 


The  Snake  Dance 


115 


Pine,  and  his  counsel- 
ors have  talked  long 
today,  and  soon  we 
shall  cross  the  moun- 
tains to  the  buffalo 
country." 

At  the  word  "buf- 
falo" Kukusim  grew 
excited. 

"Father,  am  I  not 
big  enough  for  the 
hunt?" 

"Winters  must  pass 
yet  before  you  will  be 
strong  enough  to  draw 
the  buffalo  bow,  which 
buries  the  arrow's  point 
in  the  heart." 

Then  a  thought  that 
hurt  him  came  to  Ku- 
kiisim,  and  at  the  first 
opportunity  he  slipped 
close  to  the  Clayoquot 

and  in  a  low  voice  asked,  "Do  you  go  to  the  buf- 
falo land?" 

"Yes,  Grandson,  I  shall  take  some  of  the 
horses  your  father  gave  me,  and  go  with  your 
party.  Perhaps  your  mother  will  let  you  ride 
one  of  my  horses." 

As  they  drew  near  the  council  lodge,  they 
could  plainly  hear  the  drums  and  singing.     Six 


Seven  Stars 


116        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

or  eight  young  men 
were  sitting  on  the 
ground  about  a  big 
drum.  Some  were 
beating  it,  and  all 
were  singing.  When 
the  chief  came  in  they 
stopped  and  remained 
quiet,  waiting  for  the 
dancing  to  begin. 

"This  is  our  last 
night  to  dance  and 
hear  stories  in  this 
lodge,"  said  Lone 
Pine  when  all  had  as- 
sembled. "Today  we 
have  counseled,  and 
after  one  more  day 
we  shall  start  for  the 
land  of  the  buffalo. 
For  more  than  two 
moons  our  men  have 
been  making  ready 
their  bows,  arrows,  and  knives,  and  the  women 
have  made  many  moccasins.  Well  must  we  be 
prepared,  as  we  go  into  the  land  of  the  enemy, 
and  they  may  war  upon  us. 

"Our  guests  who  have  traveled  so  far  will  come 
with  us  upon  the  hunt,  and  we  hope  they  will  re- 
turn with  us,  that  we  may  spend  the  long  nights 
of  winter  around  the  council  fire.     They  know 


The  Snake  Dance 


117 


much  that  will  help 
to  make  our  nation 
strong.  Tonight 
He  Who  Was 
Dead  And  Lives 
Again  will  tell  us 
of  strange  tribes  he 
has  seen.  I  have 
said  it." 

"Salish,"  said 
their  guest,  speak- 
ing now  in  their 
own  language  but 
using  his  hands  to 
assist  him,  "last 
night  Four  Moons 
told    you    of    the  ^  ^^'P'  "^^'^^" 

People  of  the  Earth-covered  Lodges,  who  raise 
corn  and  squashes. 

"Now  I  will  tell  you  of  another  tribe  who  raise 
corn.  They  are  the  people  of  the  stone  houses 
and  the  Snakes.  They  call  themselves  the  Hopi.^ 
Their  villages  are  in  the  midst  of  the  land  of 
sand.  They  have  no  river  or  lakes,  and  the  rains 
seldom  come.  That  is  the  reason  they  sing  songs 
to  the  Snakes,  for  it  is  believed  they  bring  the 
rain. 

"The  Hopi  villages  are  on  the  top  of  high 
cliffs;  the  housetops  seem  to  touch  the  blue  sky. 


^  The   Hopi,   frequently   called   the   Moqui,   still   live  in   several 
villages  of  stone  houses  in  northeastern  Arizona. 


118        Indian  Days  of  the  hong  Ago 


Af,jfiuk&  ir%. 


Going  into  the  desert  for  snakes 

There  they  build  them,  that  they  may  easily  pro- 
tect their  women  and  children  and  stores  of  corn 
from  the  warring  Navaho,  Apache,  and  Ute. 
They  build  the  walls  of  their  homes  thick  with 
heavy  stones.  The  entrance  is  through  the  roof, 
that  they  may  better  protect  themselves  from  the 
enemy.  To  enter  they  climb  to  the  top  of  the 
house  on  a  ladder,  and  then  descend  another  to 
the  room  below.  At  nightfall,  and  in  times  of 
attack,  the  outside  ladders  are  drawn  up  to  the 
housetop. 

"The  wives  and  maidens  of  the  Hopi  have  soft 
voices,  and  make  glad  the  eye  with  their  bright 
faces  and  happy  smiles. 

"For  many  winters  I  tarried  in  the  land  of  the 
Hopi.  Their  singing  men  have  much  knowledge. 
Their  songs  are  great  with  power,  and  their  danc- 
ing brings  the  rain-clouds  low.  Long  was  I  with 
them  before  they  would  call  me  brother  and  let 
me  join  my  voice  with  theirs  to  the  Snakes. 


The  Snake  Dance 


119 


"Important  are  the  Four  Winds  to  the  Hopi, 
and  when  they  go  to  the  desert  for  the  Snakes 
they  go  first  to  the 
land  of  the  North  Wind. 
Then  on  the  next  day 
they  go  to  the  land  of 
the  West  Wind,  another 
day  to  the  land  of  the 
South  Wind,  and  on  the 
fourth  day  to  the  land 
of  the  East  Wind. 

"The  Hopi  call  the 
Snakes  brothers,  and 
would  not  in  any  way 
harm  them. 

"Before  going  out 
upon  the  sand  waste  to 
find  the  Snakes,  the  men 
of  the  Snake  brotherhood 

spend  days  in  an  underground  room,   singing 
songs,  and  praying  to  the  Snakes." 

Every  listener  sat  in  wide-eyed  wonder.  Cer- 
tainly this  was  strange  medicine.  Kukusim,  sit- 
ting close  to  Scar  face,  thought  of  many  things 
he  would  ask  Grandfather. 

"Then  on  a  day  when  all  are  ready  they  begin 
the  search  for  the  brother  Snakes.  When  the 
men  come  to  the  foot  of  the  stone  cliffs,  they  stop 
at  a  spring  which  bubbles  from  the  foot  of  the 
rocks.  There  they  make  prayers,  and  scatter 
meal  of  the  corn  upon  the  water. 


120        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


Snake  dance 

"When  these  songs  and  prayers  are  over,  they 
begin  to  walk  across  the  sands,  looking  for  the 
Snakes.  When  one  is  found,  they  gather  about 
it  and  make  a  prayer.  At  its  close  one  of  them 
scatters  meal  on  the  Snake.  Then  with  a  quick 
motion  he  picks  it  up  in  the  right  hand,  passing  it 
to  the  left  and  holding  its  head  toward  the  Sun. 

"Now,  Salish,  listen!  It  is  the  Snake  That 
Rattles,  the  bite  of  which  brings  death.  But  the 
Hopi  knows  the  secret,  and  has  no  fear,  and  with 
meal  in  his  hand  he  strokes  the  head  of  the  Snake 
four  times." 

"Ah!  Ah!"  murmured  the  Salish.  "Truly, 
that  is  great  medicine !" 

The  Clayoquot  continued:  "He  now  puts  the 
Snake  into  a  leather  carrying-sack,  and  again 
they  take  up  the  search,  and  all  through  the  day 
it  is  thus.  Then,  when  the  sun  has  gone  to  sleep 
in  the  west,  they  return  to  the  underground 
room,  which  they  call  Mva  [ke'-va].   There  they 


The  Snake  Dance 


121 


A  snake  priest 


sing  songs,  and 
place  the  Snakes  in 
earthen  jars.  For 
four  days  they  cap- 
ture Snakes  in  this 
wa3\ 

"Many  of  the 
Snake  brotherhood 
are  not  fully  grown. 
I  have  seen  among 
them  boys  not  so 
old  as  Kukusim,  the 
chief's  son." 

"I  am  glad  I 
am  not  a  Hopi!" 
thought  the  boy, 
shuddering    at    the    story   he    had    heard. 

"On  the  ninth  day  of  this  great  ceremony  they 
dance  with  the  Snakes.  This  occurs  in  an  open 
place  in  the  village,  where  all  the  people  can  see. 
At  noon  of  that  day  they  purify  the  Snakes  by 
washing  them  in  a  large  earthen  jar  of  water. 
While  they  wash  them,  they  sing  songs  for  the 
pleasure  of  their  brother  Snakes.  Now  they  put 
the  Snakes  into  a  large  leather  sack,  which  they 
take  to  the  dancing  place,  and  just  before  the 
sun  goes  from  sight,  the  Snake  brotherhood  go 
from  the  kiva  to  the  dancing  ground. 

"Salish,  that  is  a  great  dance.  I  wish  you 
could  see  it.  The  Snake  brotherhood  take  the 
Snakes  from  the  sack,  the  Snakes  That  Rattle, 


122        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

and  dance  about  with  them  held  by  the  back  be- 
tween their  teeth!" 

A  murmur  like  the  'wind  in  the  pines  ran 
through  the  assembly.  To  take  snakes  in  the 
teeth  was  beyond  comprehension ! 

"When  the  last  dance  song  is  ended,  they 
quickly  carry  all  the  Snakes  back  to  the  places 
from  which  they  were  taken. 

"And  this,  Salish,  is  the  story  of  the  dance  of 
the  Snakes  and  the  songs  to  them,  which  bring 
rain  for  the  corn." 

As  the  speaker  sat  down,  every  one  began  to 
talk  at  once.     They  could  not  understand  the 

SONG    TO    THE    SNAKES 


Hai  -  i 


ye,      hai  -    i 


ye,. 


-#- 
hai 


ye; 


i 


:1^==1: 


N- 


-^ 1 


Hai  -  i     -     we, 


hai  -  i 


hai  - 


il^rJ^i 


Hosh-ke,  hosh-ke,  pi  -  na     -     wi    ma-sow  -  a to  -  mi! 

Hurry,   hurry,   brother  snakes,  to  the    underworld,    and 
send  us  rain. 


song  which  made  of  the  snake  a  brother.  That 
must  be  truly  wonderful  medicine!  Certainly 
the  traveler  had  seen  much  and  should  be  a  good 


The  Snake  Dance  123 

friend  to  have  in  their  camp.  Lone  Pine  stood 
up,  and  in  a  loud  voice  quieted  the  people : 

"Salish,  this  is  a  story  of  powerful  medicine. 
We  cannot  understand  it,  but  certainly  the 
knowledge  and  the  songs  of  our  friend  should 
bring  us  much  good  fortune  and  many  buffalo. 
Now  we  will  make  glad  our  hearts  in  the  dance.'' 

At  once  the  singers  began  to  beat  the  drum 
with  great  enthusiasm,  and  the  night  was  one  of 
joy  and  excitement. 


THE  SNAKE  BROTHERS 

KuKUSiM  was  very  sleepy  in  the  morning,  and 
wished  he  did  not  have  to  get  up  and  go  to  the 
river  to  bathe  with  his  father.  The  many  nights 
of  dancing  had  made  heavy  his  eyes  and  tired  his 
feet.  While  he  was  yet  half  asleep,  he  heard  the 
herald  calling  out: 

*' Women,  get  ready  to  move!  Tomorrow  we 
start  on  the  journey  to  the  buffalo  country. 
Young  men,  find  the  horses,  bring  them  close, 
that  tomorrow  we  may  get  them  quickly!" 

Kukiisim  had  to  be  told  a  second  time  that  it 
was  not  good  to  hold  on  to  the  sleep,  and  to  be 
up  and  off  to  the  river.  Quickly  he  juijiped  up 
and  ran  toward  the  river,  but  his  father  and  the 
two  guests  were  already  in  the  water,  and  they 
laughed  at  him. 

"Kukiisim  is  not  a  man,"  chaffed  Four  Moons. 
"He  sleeps  like  a  baby.  He  cannot  dance  in  the 
night  and  then  be  ready  for  the  swim.     He  will 

124 


The  Snake  Brothers  125 

have  to  get  a  strong  heart  before  he  can  be  a 
warrior." 

He  determined  that,  another  day,  he  would  be 
awake  and  ahead  of  the  men,  that  they  might 
find  no  chance  for  ridicule. 

Now  that  the  cold  water  had  thoroughly 
awakened  him,  he  thought  of  the  stories  of  the 
snakes,  and  the  many  questions  he  wanted  to  ask. 
At  breakfast  there  was  much  talk  of  the  plans 
for  the  hunting  expedition,  but  soon  he  found  an 
opportunity,  and  asked,  "Can  we  go  again  for  the 
last  time  to  the  snares?" 

His  mother  heard  the  question  and  chided  him : 
"Son,  you  will  make  your  Grandfather  angry 
with  your  continual  questions.  He  cannot  give 
all  his  thoughts  to  a  child  like  you." 

But  the  Clayoquot  smiled  and  said  they  could 
go  for  a  short  time,  and  then  he  would  have  to 
look  after  his  horses  and  prepare  for  the  jour- 
ney. 


Dancing  with  the  snAkes 


126        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


"Grandfather," 
cried  Kukiisim, 
eagerly,  "I  have  rid- 
den my  father's  fast- 
est race-horse.  May 
I  help  you  get  your 
horses?" 

"My  Grandson, 
we  will  go  first  to 
the  snares,  and  then 
we  will  find  the 
horses." 

They  went  to  one 
snare  after  the  other. 
In  one  they  found  a 
rabbit;  the  others 
were  undisturbed. 
"We  will  spring  them,"  said  the  boy,  thought- 
fully, "and  while  we  are  away  the  rabbits  can 
play  as  they  like,  with  no  danger  from  the  traps." 
When  the  last  snare  was  passed  the  old  man 
said,  "Now,  Grandson,  we  will  sit  again  by  the 
big  pine." 

They  were  scarcely  seated,  when  Kukusim 
asked,  "Grandfather,  does  I-tsik-ba-dish  know  of 
the  snakes?" 

"Yes,  my  Grandson.  If  the  Apsaroke  are 
right,  there  is  nothing  which  he  does  not  know. 
As  I  told  you,  he  is  the  one  who  made  all  things, 
does  all  things,  sees  all  things,  hears  all  things. 
But  the  Hopi,  the  people  of  the  Snakes,  do  not 


A  Hopi  matron 


The  Snake  Brothers 


127 


Hopi  sunrise 


know  of  I-tsik-ba-dish.  They  sing  their  songs  to 
many  gods,  and  the  greatest  is  Tawa,  as  they 
call  the  Sun." 

"But  is  he  the  same  as  I-tsik-ba-dish,  Grand- 
father?   Does  he  see  all  things?" 

"I  think  he  does,  my  Grandson." 

"Do  the  Hopi  think  so?" 

"The  Hopi  do  not  say  it  in  the  same  way,  but 
I  think  they  believe  he  sees  all  things.  Each 
morning  every  Hopi  prays  to  the  Sun  and  makes 
an  offering  of  corn  meal.  Standing  on  the  edge 
of  the  high  cliffs  on  which  they  live,  they  gaze 
toward  the  east,  and  as  the  Sun  appears,  each 
one  tosses  a  pinch  of  corn  meal  into  the  air,  and 
prays  for  health,  long  life,  and  good  thoughts." 

"Did  you  take  the  Snakes  in  your  hands?" 

"Yes,  Grandson." 

"And  they  did  not  bite  you?  And  if  we  found 
a  Snake  now  would  you  take  it  up  in  your 
hands?" 


128        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

"No,  Grandson.  I 
am  away  from  my 
Snake  brothers.  The 
Snake  might  not 
know  me,  and  would 
bite  me,  and  I  should 
die." 

"Were  some  of  the 
Snake  brothers  boys 
like  me?" 

"Yes,    and    years 

younger." 

■at        ••'•  ." ^•■'JB^     '    "And    they   held 

^^Hh^  I     them    in    their    hands 

aB^^^'  .i^^aaJ    and    took    them    in 

thieir   teeth!     Do   the 
Snake  songs  always  bring  the  rain?" 

"They  say  so,  and  the  rain  nearly  always 
comes.  But  the  white-faced  singer  laughed  at 
the  songs  of  the  Snakes,  and  said  they  did  not 
bring  the  rain." 

"Do  the  Hopi  have  other  songs  and  dances, 
Grandfather?" 

"So  many,  my  Grandson,  that  it  would  take 
many  moons  to  tell  j^ou  of  them.  In  some  of  the 
dances  boys  like  you,  and  much  smaller,  take 
part,  and  later  I  will  tell  you  of  these." 

"And  do  they  have  stories  of  the  long  ago, 
when  the  animals  and  men  talked  together?" 

"Many  of  them;  and  before  we  go  I  will  tell 
you  one  of  their  long  ago  stories." 


A  Hopi  prayer  altar 


THE  GIRL  AND  THE  WITCH  PEOPLE 


"Long  ago,  say  the  Hopi,  Yellow  Bird,  a  very 
pretty  maiden,  lived  in  one  of  those  ancient  vil- 
lages. Just  across  the  narrow  street  lived  a  fam- 
ily of  witches,  and  one  of  them  was  a  beautiful 
girl. 

"The  witch  girl  had  a  lover,  and  it  happened 
that  Yellow  Bird  fell  in  love  with  him  and  won 
him.  This  angered  the  witch  family,  and  they 
planned  to  get  rid  of  Yellow  Bird.  By  witch- 
craft they  took  her  heart  away,  and  she  died  after 
a  brief  illness. 

"Her  elder  brother  believed  that  she  had  died 
by  witchcraft,  and  in  the  night  he  went  with  bow 
and  arrows  to  watch  near  the  grave.  Soon  he 
heard  the  howling  of  a  wolf.  It  came  nearer  and 
nearer,  and  then  there  was  the  barking  of  many 
coyotes.  The  wolf  reached  the  grave  first,  and 
the  coyotes  came  flocking  in.    These  were  really 

1^ 


130        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

witches,  who  had  turned  themselves  into  wolf 
and  coyotes. 

''They  soon  uncovered  the  body  and  carried  it 
away.  The  young  man,  following,  saw  them  lift 
a  large  clump  of  long  grass  and  disappear  into 
the  earth.  He  looked  down  in  the  hole  and  saw 
many  people  sitting  in  a  circle. 

"As  he  wondered  what  to  do,  he  thought  of  the 
war  chief,  whose  duty  it  was  to  help  in  such  a 
case.    So  he  ran  up  the  steep  trail  to  the  village 

and  told  the  news  to  the 
war  chief.  The  warrior 
put  on  his  war  cap  and 
his  deerskin  mantle,  took 
his  war  club,  and  went 
with  the  young  man. 

"In  the  hole  through 
which  the  witch  people 
had  gone  they  found  a 
ladder,  and  they  went 
down.  The  witch  peo- 
ple were  just  ending 
their  smoke.  Their  chief, 
a  huge,  ugly,  bald- 
headed  man,  said,  'It  is 
time  to  get  at  our  work.' 
.  u    .         , .  .  "They  laid  the  girl's 

A  Hopi  war  chief  -^  ^ 

body  out  on  a  blanket 
and  began  to  sing.  First  they  made  her  come  to 
life,  and  then  they  prepared  to  change  her  into  an 
animal. 


The  Girl  and  the  Witch  People       131 

*'But  suddenly  the 
young  man  darted 
out  of  the  shadow 
where  he  had  been 
hiding.  He  dragged 
his  sister  away  from 
the  witches  and  sat 
down  again  beside 
the  war  chief. 

"The  witch  chief 
demanded:  'How  is 
it  that  you  have  en- 
tered our  house?  No- 
body has  ever  done 
this  before.  Perhaps 
you  think  you  are  a 
strong  man.  We  will 
see  if  you  are.' 

"It  was  now  to  be 
a  contest  of  magic 
between  the  two 
chiefs,  and  the  witch 
chief  was  to  be  the 
first  to  show  his  power. 


He  ordered  that  the  fire 


be  put  out.  Quickly  then  the  war  chief  placed 
the  youth  at  his  left  and  the  girl  at  his  right,  and 
he  set  up  his  war  shield  in  front  of  them  all.  The 
witch  chief  told  his  people  to  get  their  weapons 
ready.  The  Hopi  witches,  so  they  say,  throw 
small  pointed  shells,  porcupine  quills,  and  cac- 
tus thorns.     One  never  feels  it  when  struck  by 


132        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


Hopi  flute  ceremony 

these  missiles,  but  they  enter  the  body  and  cause 
death. 

"Now  the  witch  people  hurled  their  pointed 
missiles,  but  the  shield  of  the  war  chief  stopped 
them.  When  the  witch  chief  thought  that  his 
enemies  must  be  dead,  he  lighted  the  fire.  But 
while  he  was  doing  this,  the  war  chief  hid  his 
shield.    There  sat  the  three,  unharmed. 

"The  witch  chief  could  not  understand  it.  It 
was  now  time  for  the  war  chief  to  show  his 
strength,  and  he  ordered  the  fire  to  be  put  out 
again.  Then  he  opened  two  jars  filled  with  bees, 
which  began  to  sting  the  witch  people.  Soon  they 
were  begging  for  mercy,  and  just  before  the  fire 
was  lighted  the  bees  swarmed  back  into  the  jars. 
Again  the  witches  were  puzzled. 

"Still  the  witch  chief  was  not  satisfied,  and  he 
said  they  would  have  another  trial.  This  time 
the  witches  threw  larger  shells,  but  they  could  do 
nothing  against  the  shield.    Then  their  chief  said : 


The  Girl  and  the  Witch  People       133 


Flute  ceremony 


*I  think  you  are  really  a  strong  man !  You  have 
beaten  us  twice.    Try  again  what  you  can  do.' 

"The  fire  was  put  out,  and  the  war  chief  used 
his  two  lightning  sticks,  the  big  lightning  and  the 
little  lightning.  The  blinding  flashes  filled  the 
roomi  and  cut  the  witch  people  to  pieces. 

"Then  said  the  war  chief:  *Let  us  hurry  out  of 
this  place!  The  witch  people  are  clever,  and 
they  may  come  to  life  and  do  us  harm  before  we 
escape.' 

"So  they  hastened  up  the  ladder,  the  war  chief, 
the  young  man,  and  his  sister. 

"No  sooner  were  they  gone  than  the  witch  peo- 
ple began  to  come  to  life.  They  reached  this 
way  and  that  for  their  heads,  arms,  and  legs. 
But  some  of  them  did  not  place  their  legs  prop- 
erly, and  were  lame.  Others  placed  their  eyes 
wrong,  and  were  blind.  Many  had  their  eyes 
burned  by  the  lightning,  and  their  eyes  were 
gray.    And  so  the  Hopi  say  that  the  lame,  the 


134        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


Grinding  corn 

blind,  and  the  gray-eyed  are  the  descendants  of 
those  witch  people  of  long  ago." 

"Do  the  Hopi  hunt  the  buffalo?"  asked  Ku- 
kusim,  after  a  pause. 

"No,  they  live  mostly  on  corn.  Their  hunters 
kill  a  few  deer  and  antelope,  and  the  boys  and 
men  hunt  rabbits.  The  story  of  the  rabbit  hunt 
is  a  fine  one,  and  some  day  we  will  have  that." 

"I  am  afraid  that  before  you  get  time  to  tell 
me  all  the  stories  you  know  I  shall  be  an  old 
man,"  sighed  Kukusim. 

*'I  wish  we  had  some  of  the  Hopi  corn  to  eat 
now,"  said  the  Clayoquot. 

"Is  it  so  good.  Grandfather?  How  do  they 
cook  it?" 

"In  more  than  twenty  ways  they  cook  the 
corn.  Grandson,  and  every  way  is  good.  The 
most  common  way  of  all  is  the  piki  [pe'ke],  as 
they  call  it.  The  women  grind  the  corn  to  a  fine 
powder  by  rubbing  it  between  two  stones,  and  as 


The  Girl  and  the  Witch  People       135 


they  grind  they  sing.    Here  is  one  of  their  grind- 
ing songs : 

"  'Where  shall  we  go  when  the  rain   comes  ?      Where  ?' 

Sing  the  Yellow  Dragonflies, 

Sing  the  Blue  Dragonflies. 
'Clouds  are  rising  in  the  sky, 
Rain  clouds  are  standing  in  all  directions. 
The  rain  is  ready  to  come.' 

"This  they  sing  in  order  to  make  the  rain  come 
and  furnish  them  with  corn  for  more  meal. 

"They  go  to  the  grinding-rooms  just  at  day- 
hght,  and  the  songs  tell  of  the  coming  of  the  day, 
of  butterflies,  and  of  the  bright  sunshine.  Every 
day  the  girls  work  at  the  mealing  stones  in  this 
way. 

"In  making  piki  the  mothers  put  some  of  the 
fine  meal  into  a  large  earthen  bowl  and  mix  it 
into  a  thick  soup.  Then  they  take  it  to  a  bak- 
ing-room, where  they  build  a  fire  under  a  slab 
of  stone.     When  the  stone  is  hot,  they  quickly 


136         Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


spread  upon  it  a  handful  of  the  thick  soup,  and 
in  a  moment  it  is  baked.  It  is  a  thin  sheet,  no 
thicker  than  the  leaf  of  a  tree. 

"Piki  is  visually  made  from  blue  corn,  but 
sometimes  they  use  white  corn,  coloring  it  with 
dried  flowers  to  make  the  piki  yellow  or  red. 

"Also  from  the  groimd  meal  they  make 
many  other  kinds  of  bread  and  puddings.  When 
the  corn  is  half  ripe,  the  men  dig  a  deep  hole  in 

the  ground, 
and  in  it  they 
keep  a  hot  fire 
until  the  walls 
of  the  hole  are 
red  hot.  They 
throw  in  the 
ears  of  '  c  o  r  n 
with  the  thick 
green  husks  on 
them  and  cover 
them  up,  leav- 
ing them  to 
cook  for  a  long 
time.  That  is  a 
fine  way  to 
cook  half-ripe 
corn. 
"But  we  must  not  tell  more  stories  today. 
Grandson.    It  is  time  to  find  the  horses." 


Baking  piki 


BREAKING  CAMP 

Early  in  the  day  the  young  men  had  ridden  out 
in  many  directions  to  the  meadows,  to  search  for 
the  bands  of  horses  and  drive  them  toward  the 
camp,  and  by  this  time  the  herd  was  not  far 
away. 

"My  father,"  stated  Kukiisim,  ''saj^s  that  when 
he  was  a  boy  they  had  no  horses,  and  that  when 
they  traveled  every  one  walked,  and  dogs  were 
used  to  carry  the  loads.  At  first,  he  says,  they 
thought  the  horse  a  supernatural  being." 

"There  were  no  horses  in  the  time  of  the  long 
ago  stories,"  replied  his  grandfather,  "and  they 
came  long  after  that  period.  They  did  not  be- 
long to  the  animals  the  red  men  knew,  but  were 
brought  by  the  white-skinned  warriors  who  came 
with  the  white  singers.  Even  now  my  people  in 
the  west  have  never  seen  a  horse.  Everywhere 
I  travel  I  hear  many  stories  of  how  the  red  men 
got  their  first  horses,  and  what  amusing  times 
they  had  trying  to  ride  them." 

137 


138        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

"Yes,"  answered  Kukusim.  "Our  people  tell 
stories  like  that,  and  every  one  laughs;  but  my 
father  says  that  the  old  days  before  they  had 
horses  were  very  hard,  and  they  did  not  live  so 
well.  It  was  not  easy  to  hunt  the  buffalo,  and 
they  could  not  take  many  things  of  the  camp  with 
them.  The  dogs  were  small  and  could  not  carry 
heavy  loads.  And  in  the  old  days  they  could  not 
have  large  lodges,  as  the  covers  were  too  heavy 
to  carr3^  But  when  they  had  many  of  the  big, 
strong  horses,  they  found  they  could  have  large 
lodges  and  live  better.  And  my  mother  says 
the  dogs  must  like  that,  because  they  no  longer 
have  to  carry  such  heavy  loads." 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  the  open 
meadow  to  which  the  young  men  had  brought  the 
horses.     Each  man  who  had  horses  was  looking 

them  over,  to  see  that 
all  belonging  to  him  were 
there.  They  did  not  yet 
take  them  into  the  camp, 
but  left  them  feeding  in 
the  meadows,  under  the 
watchful  eyes  of  young 
men. 

When  Kukusim  and 
the  aged  story-teller 
came  to  the  camp,  the 
council  lodge  was  already  down,  and  the  herald 
was  calling  out: 

"Tomorrow  we  start  for  the  country  of  the 


Breaking  Camp 


139 


buffalo !  Nine  days 
over  the  mountains 
we  must  travel  be- 
fore we  come  to  the 
great  plains  where 
they  wander.  To- 
night there  will  be  no 
dancing.  Every  one 
will  find  sleep  early, 
that  he  may  wake 
quickly  tomorrow." 

When  darkness 
was  gathering,  Lone 
Pine,  with  some  of 
his  counselors  and 
the  two  guests,  sat 
in  the  lodge  of  the 
chiefs,  and  after 
smoking  the  council 
pipe,  they  talked  of 

the  plans  for  the  journey  and  the  hunt.  A  party 
of  their  friends,  the  Pierced  Noses,  had  preceded 
them  to  the  hunting  ground.  Some  thought  the 
Salish  had  better  join  them,  and  be  in  less  danger 
from  the  Apsaroke  and  the  Snakes.  Others 
thought  if  they  remained  by  themselves  they 
might  have  better  hunting.  But  the  chief  coun- 
seled safety  in  hunting  with  the  Pierced  Noses. 
The  two  guests  thought  there  would  be  small 
danger  from  the  Apsaroke,  as  they  both  knew 
the   chiefs   of   that   tribe   and   would   use   their 


A  Pierced  Nose 


140        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


voices     for     friend- 
ship. 

The  plan  was  that 
they  should  go  quick- 
ly to  the  plains  and 
hunt  until  the  frosts 
of  autumn,  and  then 
with  their  loads  of 
dried  meat  return  to 
their  home  in  the 
valley  forest,  to 
spend  there  the  days 
of  winter.  The 
women  had  finished 
gathering  and  dry- 
ing roots,  ^  and  it  was 
well  that  they  start 
to  find  the  buffalo. 
With  the  coming  of  light  the  camp  of  the  Sal- 
ish  was  astir.  The  women  quickly  prepared 
breakfast,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  over  lodges  were 
taken  down,  and  robes  and  furs  rolled  into  bun- 
dles to  be  tied  upon  the  pack-horses.  Men  and 
boys  drove  the  horses  into  the  center  of  the  camp 

^  The  Indians,  especially  those  who  did  not  practise  agricul- 
ture, depended  largely  upon  roots  for  food.  During  the  spring 
and  early  summer  the  women  spent  much  of  their  time  in  the 
meadows  gathering  roots.  One  of  the  most  important  was  what 
the  Salish  call  ithwe  (et'-hwe).  This  blue-flowering  bulb,  which 
we  call  camas,  resembles  a  small  onion  in  appearance,  but  in 
flavor  it  is  sweetish.  So  plentiful  was  this  plant  that  certain 
fields,  seen  from  a  distance,  were  easily  mistaken  for  blue  lakes. 
The  roots  were  steamed,  crushed,  and  pressed  into  cakes  or  loaves, 
which  took  the  place  of  bread. 


A  Nez  Perce  girl 


Breaking  Camp  141 


circle,  and  each  family  selected  its  own.  Men 
picked  out  the  ones  they  were  to  ride  or  lead  as 
extra  horses,  and  the  women  captured  the  ones 
they  were  to  use  as  pack-horses,  on  which  they 
and  the  children  would  make  the  journey. 

Kukiisim  was  early  awake  and  alive  to  every- 
thing going  on.  He  helped  to  get  the  horses  for 
both  his  father  and  mother.  While  talking  with 
the  Clayoquot,  he  lamented  the  fact  that  he  was 
not  old  enough  to  ride  with  the  warriors  and  the 
hunters,  and  would  have  to  ride  with  the  women 
and  the  babies. 

"The  last  time  we  went  to  hunt  I  had  to  share 
my  horse  with  Sister,  and  see  that  she  did  not 
fall  off.  This  year  Father  has  given  me  a  horse 
to  ride  alone,  and  Sister  has  her  own  horse. 
Sometimes  Baby  will  be  with  Sister,  and  some- 
times with  Mother,  and  I  will  help  to  watch  and 
see  that  no  enemy  steals  them." 

Now  they  heard  the  herald  calling  out:  "Soon 
we  shall  begin  the  march.     The  scouts  have  al- 


142        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

ready  gone  ahead  to  see  that  no  enemy  is  on  the 
trail.    If  they  see  an  enemy,  quickly  they  will  re- 
turn  to   give   warn- 
ing.  Lone  Pine,  our 
chief,    will    lead   his 
people,    and    at    his 
side   will   be   other 
chiefs.    Behind  them 
will  be  warriors  and 
hunters.   Let  women 
and   children   follow 
close.     On  each  side 
of    them    will    ride 
warriors,  that  no 
enemy  may  capture 
our  families.  And  in 
the  rear  let  there  be  many  warriors,  to  see  that  no 
enemy  attacks  from  behind.   So  says  our  chief!" 
Thus  the  people  were  instructed  by  the  herald, 
as  he  rode  about  the  camp  telling  every  one  what 
to  do  and  the  position  each  should  take.  Five  hun- 
dred men,  women,  and  children  and  twice  as  many 
horses  formed  the  line  of  march  on  this  day. 


PITCHING  CAMP 

The  route  was  over  the  mountain  trails.  Often 
there  was  not  room  for  two  horses  abreast,  and 
the  line  was  miles  in  length.  Then,  when  they 
came  upon  an  open  plain,  many  would  ride  in 
groups,  and  the  line  would  shorten  until  it  was 
perhaps  not  more  than  half  a  mile  long. 

The  children  who  could  ride  by  themselves 
were  often  two  on  a  horse,  securely  tied  so  that 
if  they  fell  asleep  they  would  be  safe.  Babies 
were  carried  in  their  mothers'  arms  or  in  a  baby- 
carrier  suspended  from  a  saddle.^ 

Much  of  the  time  Kukiisim  helped  his  mother 
with  the  pack-horses;  at  other  times  he  would 
join  his  youthful  compan- 
ions. There  was  then  op- 
portunity for  horse  racing 
and  all  manner  of  larks. 

Hour  after  hour  they 
toiled  on.  As  the  line  ad- 
vanced, women  could  be 
heard  everywhere  urging  on 
the  pack-horses.  From  time 
to  time  bundles  would 
loosen  and  slip  off.  With 
much  scolding  and  chatter-  ^"  '"^^""  ^'^^^^ 

ing,  the  owner  of  the  beast  would  stop,  rearrange 
the  load,  and  then  go  on  again. 

*  The  primitive  saddle  of  the  Indians  had  for  its  horn  the 
prong  of  a  deer's  horns  and  for  the  rest  of  the  frame  roughly 
shaped  pieces  of  wood.  The  frame  was  covered  with  deerskin. 
The  men  seldom  used  a  saddle. 

143 


144        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


A  meadow  camp 

Near  midday  they  came  to  a  beautiful  moun- 
tain stream  flowing  through  a  meadow  of  rich 
grass  and  flowers.  Here  they  halted  for  a  time, 
that  the  horses  might  rest  and  feed.  Children 
were  taken  down  to  rest,  and  in  a  moment  the 
stream  was  filled  with  laughing,  chattering 
brown  youngsters. 

Soon  the  voice  of  the  herald  was  heard  call- 
ing: "Again  we  must  travel.  Tonight  we  must 
camp  upon  the  Meadows  of  Many  Springs. 
Travel  fast,  that  the  darkness  may  not  come 
upon  us.  There  in  the  forest  at  the  edge  of  the 
river  we  shall  camp.  Let  the  hunters  look  for 
deer  and  elk,  that  our  women  and  children  may 
have  food.  Let  the  head  man  of  each  family 
reach  the  meadows  early  and  find  the  spot  for  his 
fire." 

The  scattered  animals  were  quickly  brought 
into  place,  and  soon  the  snake-like  line  was  mov- 
ing on  through  forest  and  across  meadows.  As 
was  the  custom,  the  men  reached  the  camping 


Pitching  Camp 


145 


place  ahead  of  the 
cavalcade,  and,  se- 
lecting camp  sites, 
started  their  fires. 

It  was  dusk  when 
K  u  k  u  s  i  m  with  the 
women  came  over  a 
low  hill,  and  saw  be- 
fore  him  a  large 
pine-skirted  meadow, 
and  everywhere 
among  the  dark 
trees,  the  glowing 
camp-fires.  All 
about  in  the  deep 
grasses  of  the  plain 
were  the  horses  feed- 
ing upon  the  rich 

pasture.     As  he  came  close,  he  heard  the  con- 
fused voices  of  many  men  shouting. 

"Wife  of  Lone  Deer,  here  is  your  fire!" 
"Wife  of  Crazy  Thunder,  here  is  your  camp!" 
So  each  man  was  calling  to  his  wife,  and  the 
women  soon  found  the  places  that  had  been  se- 
lected for  them. 

When  Kukiisim  found  his  father's  fire.  Four 
Moons  and  the  Clayoquot  were  there.  Quickly 
they  unfastened  the  ropes  which  held  the  tired 
children  upon  the  horses.  Many  were  sound 
asleep,  and  even  the  lifting  from  the  horses' 
backs  did  not  waken  them.    Kukiisim's  heart  was 


146        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

filled   with  joy.     This 

^^^^^jjT^-T^  was  living!    The  life 

^M^^^^^k^^     and   activities  of   the 

^K^^^^^^HHH      encampment  made 

^^^^^^^^K     his  pulse  heat  fast. 

^^^^^^HD     Women  from  camp- 

n^P^^^H     fire  to  camp-fire  were 

^Hbs^^^H     calling  greetings, 

■1^  «^   JHhI^^H     laughing,    making 

^H|K-wiS^^^^H     nierry,  and  asking  one 

^^^H^HIM^^^^H     another  as  to  the  hap- 

^^^^^^^^^^^^H     penings  of  the  day. 

^^^^H^^H^^^^B         Matrons 

I^^^^^HH^^^^H     were  going  to  the 

^^■p^^^^^l^^^H     stream   to  fill   their 

^^^  ^^^H|     leather   pails   with 

^.  ^^B     water,  and  boys  were 

caring  for  the  horses. 
The  animals  used  by  the  women  and  the  chil- 
dren, and  for  packs,  were  hobbled  by  tying  their 
fore  feet  together,  and  were  turned  loose;  but 
not  so  those  used  by  the  grown  men.  Their  fast 
horses  were  kept  near  by,  tethered  with  long 
ropes,  and  moved  frequently  that  they  might 
feed  well  on  the  rich  grass.  For  if  they  were 
not  well  fed,  they  would  lack  strength  for  the 
buffalo  hunt. 

And  now  they  were  in  a  land  where  an  enemy 
might  be,  so  they  must  have  their  riding  horses 
close  at  hand.  For  this  reason,  when  full  dark- 
ness came  on,  each  man  tied  his  riding  horse  to 


Pitching  Camp  147 


About  the  camp-fire 

a  stake  driven  at  his  side,  where  he  slept.  Then 
if  the  scouts  gave  warning,  it  could  in  a  moment 
be  mounted  and  ready  for  battle. 

Happiness  reigns  about  the  camp-fire  of 
Lone  Pine.  The  people  have  traveled  well,  and 
sickness  has  come  to  none.  The  scouts  have  re- 
ported the  land  free  of  enemies.  The  medicine- 
men have  sung  their  songs,  and  say  that  all  is 
well  and  that  the  spirits  are  happy.  And  more 
than  that,  has  not  the  traveler  from  the  western 
water  killed  a  fine  fat  deer,  which  even  now  is 
roasting  by  the  fire  ?  A  boy  who  has  not  traveled 
a  long  day  through  the  mountains,  and  then 
feasted  to  his  fill  upon  juicy  deer  ribs,  has  not 
known  the  full  joy  of  being  a  boy.  Large  and 
fat  was  the  deer,  but  bare  was  its  every  bone 
when  the  family  of  the  chief  had  finished  their 
feasting. 

The  Clayoquot  always  longed  for  fish,  the 
principal  food  of  his  youth,  and  while  the  women 


and  children  were  making  camp  he  had  gone  to 
a  small  stream  and  taken  as  many  trout  as  he 
could  carry.  These  too  were  roasted  over  the 
fire  to  add  to  the  feast. 

Kukiisim  was  surprised  that  Grandfather  had 
caught  so  many  fish. 

"Truly,  Grandfather,"  he  exclaimed,  "you 
must  have  medicine  for  fish!" 

"Grandson,  my  medicine  for  catching  trout  is 
simple.  I  will  show  you.  I  went  to  yonder  creek, 
so  narrow  that  j^ou  could  run  and  jump  across 
it.  At  a  narrow,  shallow  place  I  laid  sticks  across 
like  this.  Then  I  got  many  small  willows  and 
laid  them  like  tliis,  so  that  water  could  flow 
through,  but  the  fish  could  not  pass.  With  large 
sticks  and  stones  I  made  just  below  this  a  bas- 
ketlike enclosure.  Now  I  went  upstream  a  dis- 
tance, and  then  walked,  splashing  through  the 
water,  toward  my  trap.  The  fish,  escaping  from 
me,  swam  into  the  trap,  and  I  found  it  filled. 
There  were  more  than  a  man  could  carry.   That, 


Pitching  Camp  '  149 

my  Grandson,  is  the  way  many  of  the  people 
I  have  seen  catch  the  trout.  Some  day  I  will 
tell  you  other  ways  to  get  many  kinds  of  fish." 
"Grandfather,  I  am  going  to  call  you  by  the 
name  of  the  white-haired  man  who  knows  every- 
thing.   You  are  Napiw." 

The  evening  about  the  camp-fire  passed 
quickly,  and  all  too  soon  Mother  was  saying: 
"My  son,  it  is  time  you  found  your  sleep. 
Already  your  sister  is  dreaming." 

"May  I  go  with  Grandfather  when  he  brings 
in  his  horse,  before  I  look  for  my  sleep?" 

"Already  you  think  more  of  your  new  grand- 
father than  of  your  mother,"  she  said,  half  laugh- 
ing, half  in  earnest.  "Soon  my  heart  will  be 
jealous.  If  it  were  not  for  the  man  child  now 
at  my  breast,  my  heart  would  be  empty." 

"Do  not  scold  our  son," 
said  the  chief,  as  the  old 
man  and  the  boy  left  the 
lodge.  "He  is  learning 
new  things.  He  will  make 
a  great  chief,  and  our  peo- 
ple will  grow  strong  and 
miffhtv  when  he 


^A^,/y 

is  their  leader." 

^^^ 

"Yes,  I  know. 

t^S 

And  soon  he 

mr^^^^S- 

must  go  to  the 

^r 

mountains    to 

^^^ 

fast." 

150        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

Hand  in  hand  Kukusim  and  his  companion 
walked  through  the  camp  and  across  the  meadow. 

Fire   after   fire   they 

passed.  Supper  was 
over,  and  the  fires  were 
dying  down  as  the  peo- 
ple sought  their  robes 
for  sleep.  Already 
more  than  half  the  camp 
was  resting. 

The  boy's  heart  was 
filled  with  big  thoughts, 
and  he  spoke  in  a  low  voice:  "Listen,  Grand- 
father! Do  you  hear  the  coyote?  There  is  an- 
other, and  another!  Grandfather,  their  cry 
makes  my  blood  cold,  like  the  North  Wind!" 

"My  Grandson,  listen  again !     Do  you  hear  that 
coyote  call  from  yonder  high  peak  to  the  north?" 
"Yes,  Grandfather." 

"Now  listen  to  the  call  from  the  peak  to  the 
south,  and  to  the  east,  and  to  the  west.  And  then 
you  hear  their  barking  from  many  directions." 
"Yes,  Grandfather." 

"My  Grandson,  the  call  you  hear  from  the 
north,  the  south,  the  east,  and  the  west  is  not 
the  call  of  the  coyote,  but  of  the  scouts  of  the 
Salish  calling  to  one  another.  Your  father  knows 
what  it  means,  and  he  knows  the  scout's  call 
from  that  of  a  coyote.  The  scouts  on  the  high 
places  have  looked  far  to  see  if  other  camp- 
fires  burn,  and  their  signal  says  that  all  is  safe." 


Pitching  Camp  151 

Then  they  found  the  tethered  horse,  and  the 
bov  said,  "Now  we  will  ride  back  to  our  fire." 

The  man  jumped  on  and  reached  out  his  hand 
for  Kukusim,  who  with  a  spring  took  his  place 
on  the  horse  behind  him.  In  the  camp  of  Lone 
Pine  all  were  asleep,  and  as  soon  as  the  Clayo- 
quot  had  tied  his  horse,  they  also  spread  their 
robes  for  the  night.  Above  them  twinkled  the 
countless  stars,  and  half  asleep  Kukusim  asked: 
"Do  you  think  the  stars  are  people?  Do  you 
know  stories  about  the  stars?" 

"It  is  time  to  sleep.  Grandson,"  answered  the 
old  man.  "There  are  so  many  stories  of  the  stars 
that  should  I  start  to  tell  them,  the  snows  of  win- 
ter would  be  upon  us  before  I  could  finish." 

"But  sometime  you  will  tell  them  to  me?" 

"Yes,  Grandson." 

Then  the  boy  dreamed  that  he  was  a  star  and 
was  looking  down  upon  the  camp.  His  dream 
changed,  and  he  felt  that  he,  like  many  stars  he 
had  seen,  was  falling,  falling,  falling  through 
the  sky.  With  a  cry  he  reached  out  to  grasp 
something  to  check  his  speed.  His  arms  clasped 
his  Grandfather,  waking  him  from  dreams  of  his 
own. 

"What  is  the  matter,  my  boy?" 

"I  thought  I  was  a  star,  and  was  falling." 

"The  trouble  with  you.  Grandson,  is  that  you 
ate  too  long  of  the  deer  and  the  trout.  You 
should  stop  eating  before  your  belly  is  as  hard 
as  your  forehead." 


AN  ELK  HUNT 


To  Kukiisim  it  seemed  that  he  was  yet  mastering 
that  morsel  of  his  Grandfather's  wisdom,  when 

he  was  awakened  by  a 
gentle  shake  of  his 
mother's  hand. 

"My  son,  you  have 
dreamed  long  enough. 
The  stars  are  gone  and 
the  sun  is  coming.  Go 
to  the  water  and  make 
your  body  fresh  for  the 
day." 

He  felt  cross  that 
the  sun  had  come  so 
soon  to  chase  away  the 
stars,  but  the  cool  of  the 
water  drove  away  that 
thought,  and  h  e  w  a  s 
glad  with  the  voice  of 
the  meadow-lark. 

Already    the    herald 
was    riding    about    the 
camp  calling  out  the  orders  for  the  day: 

''Eat  your  food  quickly,  that  we  may  be  on 
the  way.  There  are  no  lodge-poles  to  be  taken 
down  today,  so  the  women  can  soon  have  their 
horses  loaded.  Tonight  we  shall  camp  on  Camas 
Creek.  The  way  is  long,  the  trail  is  rough.  Let  all 
make  haste.  Let  the  young  men  watch  the  trail 
carefully,  that  there  be  no  surprise  by  an  enemy." 

153 


Go   to   the  water   to   make  the 
body  clean 


An  Elk  Hunt 


153 


Soon  the  toiling 
line  was  on  the 
way.  Today  they 
would  reach  the 
highest  places  in 
the  mountains, 
and  then  the  trail 
would  be  ever 
winding  down- 
ward. The  pines 
gave  shade  to  the 
trail  in  many 
places;  then  it 
crossed  meadows 
yellow  with  bloom. 
The  rain  had 
lately  passed,  and  all  the  world  was  fresh  and 
green. 

Scarface  and  Kukusim  rode  close  together. 

"These  days  we  do  not  see  you,"  complained 
Scarface.  "All  the  time  you  talk  with  your  new 
grandfather,  the  singer  of  strange  songs.  Yellow 
Hawk  and  Rabbit  say  hard  words  when  you  do 
not  hear.  They  say  your  heart  has  grown  too 
proud,  and  that  a  poor  chief  you  will  make.  To- 
day let  us  find  them  and  ride  together,  that  all 
may  be  happy." 

Soon  a  full  half-hundred  boys  were  riding  to- 
gether. In  the  open  meadows  they  raced  their 
horses,  and  were  roimdly  scolded  by  their  grand- 
parents.   When  the  trail  grew  narrow  and  hung 


154        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

upon  the  edge  of  dizzy  cliffs,  there  was  no  laugh- 
ter, and  they  let  their  ponies  pick  their  own  slow, 
careful  way.  A  misstep  here  would  mean  a  fall 
of  horse  and  rider  into  the  canyon,  hundreds  of 
feet  below. 

The  setting  sun  saw  the  Salish  spreading  out 
into  the  valley  of  a  creek,  and  hundreds  of  camp- 
fires  were  glowing  in  the  shadows  beneath  the 
pines.  Scouts  came  to  Lone  Pine  and  reported 
large  herds  of  elk,  and  it  was  decided  to  let  the 
women  and  horses  rest  for  a  day,  while  the  men 
hunted  the  elk.  There  were  many  hungry 
mouths  to  be  fed.  The  summer  was  long,  and 
there  was  no  need  of  haste. 

So  the  herald  announced  the  plan  of  the  hunt : 
"Tonight  around  the  fire  of  the  chief  we  shall 
sing,  that  many  elk  may  be  killed.     Long  Elk, 

who  in  his  fasting 
learned  the  secret  of  the 
elk,  will  sing  his  songs." 
Far  into  the  night  the 
singers  sat  about  the 
council  fire,  smoking 
the  pipe  and  singing, 
that  the  elk  might  not 
be  angry  when  the 
hunters  took  their  lives. 
When  Kukusim  went 
to  sleep,  the  men  were  still  singing. 

On  the  following  morning  the  hunters  assem- 
bled on  the  bank  of  the  creek  a  short  distance 


An  Elk  Hunt  155 


above  the  camp.  From  this  point  the  valley  grad- 
ually narrowed,  until  it  became  a  deep  gulley 
with  sheer  stone  walls. 

The  party  divided,  some  going  by  a  detour 
to  the  head  of  the  valley  and  concealing  them- 
selves behind  large  trees  and  rocks.  The  others 
scattered  in  a  long  line,  which  extended  across 
the  valley  and  up  its  slopes  to  the  high  ridge  on 
each  side. 

Then  the  line  of  hunters  moved  slowly  for- 
ward, with  keen  eyes  peering  to  right  and  left, 
that  no  elk  might  break  through  and  escape  down 
the  valley.  Now  and  then  a  hunter  would  sud- 
denly come  close  upon  a  browsing  animal,  when 
instantly  his  swift  arrow  would  go  flying  to  its 
mark. 

But  it  was  the  men  at  the  gully  who  had  the 
best  opportunity.  Here  were  stationed  the  best 
bowmen — the  strongest  of  arm,  the  quickest  with 
the  arrow.  As  the  drive  progressed,  the  crash  of 
fleeing  creatures  was  heard  in  the  undergrowth 


156        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


below  them,  and  soon  antlered  heads  appeared 
above  the  bushes.  Then  out  burst  a  frightened 
elk,  his  great  eyes  wide  with  terror,  his  snorting 
nostrils  distended.  As  he  dashed  past  the  lurk- 
ing hunters,  from  either  side  a  flashing  arrow 
buried  itself  to  the  feathers  in  his  flanks,  and 
after  a  few  convulsive  bounds  he  plunged  for- 
ward and  lay  gasping. 

When  the  game  drive  ended  in  the  afternoon, 
more  than  a  hundred  elk  and  deer  had  been 
killed.  Then  came  the  women  to  assist  in  the 
butchering,  bringing  pack-horses  on  which  to 
load  the  meat  and  hides. 

So  great  was  the  success  of  the  hunt  that  it 
was  necessary  to  remain  in  camp  a  day  in  order 

to  let  the  meat  be- 
come partially 
dry.  The  women 
cut  it  into  very 
thin,  broad  slices, 
and  such  was  their 
skill  that  the  meat 
was  of  a  uniform 
waf e  r-like  t  h  i  n  - 
ness.  It  was  hung 
on  racks  in  the 
Sim,  and  small  fires  were  made  beneath.  Thus 
in  the  course  of  the  day  it  was  half  dried  out  by 
the  smoke  and  the  combined  heat  of  sun  and  fire, 
so  that  on  the  morrow  it  could  be  packed  in  bun- 
dles without  spoiling.     Then  at  the  next  oppor- 


Drying  the  meat 


An  Elk  Hunt  157 


The  story  of  the  stars 

tunity  it  would  be  spread  out  again  for  more 
thorough  drying. 

Great  was  the  feasting,  and  few  gave  heed  to 
advice  that  cautioned  against  overeating. 

During  the  day,  while  the  women  were  work- 
ing with  the  meat,  Kukiisim  found  Grandfather 
and  begged  for  a  story  while  they  were  not  trav- 
eling. 

"Can  we  not  have  a  story  of  the  stars?"  he 
asked. 

"No,  not  now,  Grandson.  One  should  tell  the 
stories  of  the  stars  while  they  are  looking.  Find 
Scarf  ace,  and  then  we  will  take  Sister  and  her 
friends,  and  go  to  some  cool  place  by  the  brook." 

"Are  you  going  to  tell  a  story  for  girls.  Grand- 
father?" 

"Yes.  Sister  says  I  should  not  tell  all  the 
stories  to  the  boys,  for  girls  like  stories,  too." 

"But,  Grandfather,  girls  cannot  hunt;  they 
cannot  be  warriors  or  chiefs." 


158         Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

*'Many  things  they  can  do,  even  if  they  can- 
not be  chiefs.  Do  you  not  see  the  women  pre- 
paring the  meat  today?  Do  they  not  pack  and 
drive  the  horses  when  we  travel?  Do  they  not 
dig  the  roots  on  which  you  live  so  much  of  the 
time?  Can  they  not  even  fight  when  the  enemy 
comes  ? 

"My  Grandson,  there  are  many  stories  of  girls 
which  Sister  would  like  to  hear.  Does  not  your 
mother  tell  you  and  Blue  Bird  tales  through  the 
long  nights  of  winter?" 

"Yes,  truly.  Grandfather,  but  those  are  the 
winter  stories,  and  cannot  be  told  in  the  sum- 


mer." 


But  Kukiisim  felt  the  reproof,  and  at  once 
found  Blue  Bird  and  told  her  that  she  was  to  get 
her  friends,  and  they  would  hear  stories  from 
the  wise  grandfather. 

When  all  were  comfortably  gathered  about 
the  old  man  beside  the  purling  brook,  he  began: 

"My  children,  as  we  travel  the  long  trail 
through  life,  we  find  that  there  are  sad  as  well  as 
happy  times.  My  first  story  today  will  tell  of 
sad  things." 


BAREFOOT  ON  ICE  AND  SNOW 

"There  came  a  winter  colder  and  harder  than 
any  other.  The  snow  was  deep,  as  deep  as  half 
the  height  of  a  man.  The  old  men  had  counted 
the  moons,  and  it  was  time  for  spring,  but  the 
snow  did  not  melt.  Ice  was  coming  down  the 
Great  River  [Columbia]  in  huge  masses,  grind- 
ing and  crashing  through  the  boiling  rapids. 
Every  night  snow  fell  and  filled  up  the  places 
that  had  been  swept  clean  during  the  day.  Snow- 
birds were  everywhere  about. 

"One  day  a  bird  was  seen  with  something  red 
in  its  bill,  and  they  frightened  it  so  that  it 
dropped  the  red  object.  They  found  that  this 
was  a  ripe  strawberry,  and  knew  that  somewhere 
summer  had  come.  It  was  plain  that  something 
was  wrong,  and  a  meeting  was  called  in  the  house 
of  the  chief.  After  many  had  told  what  they 
thought  should  be  done,  the  oldest  man  stood  up. 

"He  said:     'When  you  who  have  been  talk- 

159 


160        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

ing  with  words  were  babies,  I  was  an  old  man. 
When  1  was  young,  I  heard  my  grandfather 
say  that  if  a  small  bird  was  struck  with  a  stone 
the  snow  would  never  stop.  The  men  of  those 
times  w^ere  wise.' 

"Then  he  sat  down. 

"The  chief  at  once  ordered  all  the  children  to 
be  brought,  and  he  questioned  them.  A  little  girl 
said  that  she  had  struck  a  bird  with  a  stone.  She 
was  afraid  of  the  old  men  in  council,  and  could 
hardly  speak.  Then  the  men  talked  again.  At 
last  they  said  to  the  parents  of  the  little  girl: 

"  'Give  us  your  child,  and  instead  of  killing 
her,  as  we  first  thought  of  doing,  we  will  give 
her  alive  to  Winter.  Then  Winter  will  cease 
to  be  angry  and  will  leave  us,  and  Summer  will 
come.' 

"Presents  were  given  to  the  girl's  parents  in 
payment  for  their  daughter,  but  they  were  very 
sad,  for  she  was  an  ovAy  child.  While  she  was  led 
away,  they  wailed  as  do  those  who  mourn  for  the 
dead.  The  people  dressed  in  their  finest  gar- 
ments, and  the  little  girl  w^as  dressed  the  best  of 
all.  They  marched  to  the  river,  and  the  chief  led 
the  girl. 

"A  great  block  of  ice  was  pulled  to  the  shore, 
and  on  it  they  spread  straw  and  mats.  They 
carefully  set  the  girl  on  the  mats,  and  pushed 
the  cake  of  ice  into  the  swift  current.  It  drifted 
down,  swirling,  and  lifting  and  settling  with  the 
rise  and  fall  of  the  water.     Above  the  dull  roar 


Barefoot  on  Ice  and  Snow  161 


of  the  rapids  rose  the  shrill  crying  of  the  child 
and  the  wild  wailing  of  her  parents.  The  peo- 
ple returned  to  the  village,  singing. 

"Very  soon  a  warm  wind  was  felt,  and  before 
many  days  the  snow  was  gone.  Then  the  people 
were  sure  that  the  words  of  the  old  men  of  long 
ago  were  true.  They  moved  away  to  the  fishing 
places  and  caught  salmon  for  the  next  winter,, 
and  in  the  autumn  they  returned  to  the  village. 

* 'Winter  came  again.  Some  old  men  one  day 
stood  on  the  river  bank  watching  the  ice  drift  by. 
Far  down  the  stream  they  saw  a  black  spot  on  a 
cake  of  ice  which  was  whirling  round  and  round 
in  an  eddy.  A  young  man  was  sent  to  see  what 
this  was,  and  he  reported  that  it  seemed  to  be 
a  human  being. 

"With  long  poles  the  block  of  ice  was  drawn 
to  the  bank.  On  it  was  a  young  girl,  and  the 
people  saw  that  she  was  the  child  they  had  given 
as  an  offering  to  Winter.  She  was  carried  to 
the  house  of  her  parents,  where  she  quickly  fell 


162        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


Hopi  maidens 

asleep  beside  the  fire.  And  always  after  that  she 
had  the  power  to  walk  barefoot  on  ice  and  snow." 

"So  we  must  not  be  cruel  to  the  little  birds,'* 
said  Sister,  "and  strike  them  needlessly.  That 
is  what  caused  all  the  trouble." 

"But  I  learn  more  than  that  from  the  story," 
Kukusim  said.  "I  learn  that  when  a  child  goes 
into  danger  alone,  the  spirits  will  care  for  it.  The 
spirits  took  care  of  the  little  girl  on  the  cake  of 
ice,  and  it  was  they  who  gave  her  the  power  to 
walk  barefoot  on  ice  and  snow.  Is  it  not  so, 
Grandfather?" 

"It  is  true,"  answered  the  old  man,  slowly. 
"And  some  day  Kukusim  will  go  alone  into  the 
lonely  places,  and  there  he  will  get  power  from 
some  of  the  spirits." 

"But,  Grandfather,"  Blue  Bird  protes.ted, 
"that  story  was  sad.  Tell  us  one  with  a  happy 
ending." 

"Here,  then,  is  a  tale  of  a  Hopi  maiden  of  long 
ago,"  began  the  aged  story-teller. 


THE  STORY  OF  CORN-SMUT  GIRL 

"In  one  of  the  Hopi  villages  was  a  handsome 
young  man  named  Rainbow  Youth.  Every  day 
before  sunrise  he  practised  running,  and  made 
offerings  to  the  Sun  and  to  the  other  gods,  that 
he  might  become  strong  and  swift.  During  the 
day  and  the  night  he  remained  in  the  house. 

"One  day  he  announced  that  he  would  marry 
the  girl  whose  corn  meal  was  ground  so  fine 
that  it  would  stick  to  a  large  shell  hanging  on 
his  wall.  Then  all  the  girls  began  to  grind  meal, 
and  to  make  it  just  as  fine  as  they  could.  For  all 
the  maidens  wished  greatly  to  marry  this  hand- 
some young  man. 

"One  after  another  they  came  to  the  home 
of  Rainbow  Youth  and  threw  their  meal  against 
the  shell.  But  always  it  fell  to  the  floor,  and 
the  maidens,  one  by  one,  would  go  away  ashamed. 

"Now  in  this  village  lived  Corn-smut  Girl,  and 
she  was  dark-skinned  and  dirty.     Her  brothers 

1G3 


164        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


Corn-Smut  girl 


teased  her,  asking  why  she  did 
not  marry  Rainbow  Youth,  and 
she  said  she  would  try.  But 
they  laughed  and  said  they  did 
not  think  Rainbow  Youth  would 
keep  his  promise  if  her  meal 
should  stick  to  the  shell. 

"When  Corn-smut  Girl  had 
her  meal  ready,  she  took  it 
in  a  basket  to  the  young  man's 
house.  He  spoke  kindly,  and 
asked  her  to  enter  and  sit 
down. 

"Then  he  said,  'What  is  it  you 
wish?' 

"  'I  have  come  for  you,'  she  answered. 
"  'Very  well,'  said  Rainbow  Youth. 
"He  took  a  handful  of  her  meal  and  threw  it 
against  the  large  shell,  and  it  stuck  fast. 

"'Good!'  said  he.  'It  is  my  own  word.  I 
have  agreed  to  marry  the  girl  whose  meal  stuck 
to  my  shell.  Your  meal  has  done  so.  There- 
fore I  go  with  you.' 

"So  the  two  started  to  the  home  of  Corn-smut 
Girl.  For  when  a  Hopi  man  takes  a  wife,  he 
lives  with  her  family. 

"The  brothers  and  the  mother  of  Corn-smut 
Girl  were  surprised  that  the  handsome  youth  had 
married  such  an  ugly  girl,  but  they  were  glad  to 
welcome  him  into  the  family.  When  the  evening 
mealtime  drew  near.  Corn-smut  Girl  went  into 


The  Story  of  Corn-Smut  Girl         165 

another  room.     Soon  a  beautiful  young  woman 

came  out  and  sat  down  with  the  others  to  eat. 

Rainbow  Youth  wondered  why 

his  wife  did  not  join  them,  but 

he  asked  no  questions. 

"As  bedtime  came  on,  his 
brothers-in-law  explained  to  him 
that  this  beautiful  young  woman 
was  his  bride.  Corn-smut  Girl. 
Her  dark,  smutty  skin  was 
really  only  a  mask  which  she 
wore  during  the  day.  Every 
day  she  wore  this  mask,  but 
at  night  she  removed  it  and  showed  her  true  self 
to  her  family.  For  in  truth  she  was  not  an  ordi- 
nary person,  but  a  goddess! 

"Now  the  girls  who  had  wished  to  marry  Rain- 
bow Youth  were  angry  and  jealous,  and  they 
made  fun  of  the  young  man  and  his  dirty  bride. 
But  he  did  not  care,  for  he  knew  that  his 
wife  was  really  more  beautiful  than  any  of 
them. 

"After  several  years  had  passed.  Corn-smut 
Girl  said  that  since  she  was  a  goddess,  it  was 
not  right  for  her  to  live  among  mortal  people. 
So  with  all  her  family  she  one  day  disappeared 
into  the  ground.  And  at  the  place  where  she 
went  into  the  earth  the  Hopi  now  pray  to  Corn- 
smut  Girl  as  a  goddess,  begging  her  to  send 
them  good  crops  of  corn." 

"Grandfather,  that  is  a  fine  story,"  said  Blue 


166        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

Bird,  gratefully.  "I  shall  tell  it  to  my  mother, 
and  she  too  will  like  it." 

"The  day  has  grown  old.  Grandchildren,  and 
we  must  return  to  the  camp." 

As  they  rose  from  the  grass,  they  could  hear 
the  herald  calling,  "Tomorrow  we  shall  travel 
again  toward  the  plains  of  the  buffalo!" 


A  BUFFALO  HUNT 


Six  more  days  the  Salish  traveled  before  they 
came  to  the  prairies  where  the  buffalo  grazed. 
The  scouts  had  gone  far  ahead,  and  reported  the 
plains  black  with  them,  and  long  was  the  talk 
as  to  how  the  hunt  should  be  managed. 

If  they  surrounded  the  herd  with  their  horses 
and  rode  to  kill  with  arrows,  many  would  escape, 
and  little  meat  would  the  women  have  to  dry.  If 
they  could  surround  them  and  drive  them  over  a 
precipice,  they  wovdd  have  meat  enough  for  the 
winter.  Then  afterward  the  young  men  who 
wished  to  show  how  great  was  their  skill  could 
hunt  as  many  days  as  they  liked  with  their  fast 
horses. 

The  chiefs  decided  that  the  latter  plan  was  the 
better. 

"Tomorrow,"  advised  Lone  Pine,  "our  scouts 
will  look  for  the  best  place  to  drive  the  herd. 
Keep  far  from  the  buffalo,  that  they  may  not 
take  fright  and  escape." 

167 


168        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

Long  the  scouts  traveled 
on  the  morrow  before  they 
found,  at  the  edge  of  a  val- 
ley, a  sheer  rocky  precipice 
twenty  times  the  height  of 
a  man.  It  stood  at  the 
edge  of  a  plain,  level  as  the 
sea  and  extending  half  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  look. 
When  the  scouts  made 
their  report,  the  encampment  quietly  moved  into 
the  valley  below  the  rocky  cliff.  On  the  plain 
above  they  built  heaps  of  stones  and  brush  in  two 
great  diverging  lines,  like  a  letter  V  with  the 
point  at  the  cliff.  For  several  days  they  worked 
hard  at  the  task,  and  then  all  was  ready  for  the 
great  killing  of  the  buffalo. 

But  before  they  began  the  hunt,  there  were 
many  songs  to  be  sung  and  prayers  to  be  said; 
otherwise  they  could  expect  no  success.  So  in 
the  evening  the  chiefs  and  the  medicine-men, 
after  purifj^ing  themselves  in  the  sweat-lodge,  as- 
sembled in  the  lodge  of  Lone  Pine  and  sang  the 
Buffalo  songs.  With  great  care  then  Lone  Pine 
gave  final  instructions  to  his  hunters:  each  one 
must  obey  orders  with  thought,  or  there  would 
be  failure. 

Tomorrow  is  the  day  set.  Early  in  the  morn- 
ing the  old  men,  the  women,  and  the  boys  will 
go  to  the  plain  above  the  camp,  and  each  will 
take  his  place  behind  one  of  the  piles  of  stones 


A  Buffalo  Hunt  169 

and  brush.  Young  men  disguised  with  buffalo 
skins  about  their  bodies  and  horns  on  their  heads 
have  been  directing  the  herd  toward  the  fatal 
place,  and  by  now  they  have  the  buffalo  so  near 
that  within  a  few  hours  the  stupid  animals  will 
follow  them  within  the  lines. 

It  is  scarcely  light  when  these  disguised  men 
are  again  leading  the  buffalo.  Far  and  near  in 
many  directions  are  the  watchful  hunters  on  their 
swiftest  horses.  By  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
they  perceive  that  the  buffalo  are  entering  the 
trap.  Then  quickly  they  surround  the  herd  on 
every  side  except  that  toward  the  precipice. 

The  animals  see  the  horsemen,  and  start  to 
run.  The  old  cows  take  the  lead,  and  look  for  a 
way  of  escape.  Men  are  in  every  direction  but 
one.  Wildly  they  gallop  forward,  and  the  men 
behind  ride  madly  after  them,  yelling  fiercely; 
and  at  the  right  moment  the  women  and  boys  be- 
hind the  piles  of  stone  and  brush  leap  to  their 
feet,  shouting  and  waving  blankets. 

The  stampede  is  on.  Large  and  small,  the 
animals  rush  like  the  flow  of  a  black  river  be- 
tween its  banks.  A  few  break  out  at  the  sides 
and  escape,  but  the  majority  run  on  to  their 
doom.  On,  on  goes  the  stampeded  herd, — cows, 
bulls,  and  calves.  If  one  falls,  it  is  ground  to 
a  pulp  by  the  feet  of  the  maddened  herd. 

The  leaders  reach  the  brink  of  the  precipice, 
but  if  they  would,  they  cannot  stop  or  turn.  The 
weight  of  those  behind  forces  them  on.     They 


170        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

pour  over  the  edge  like  a  mighty  cascade,  and  are 
crushed  and  broken  at  the  bottom  almost  as  water 
is  whipped  into  spray.  Perhaps  a  few  escape, 
but  nearly  all  are  killed  by  the  fall. 

On  the  next  day  began  the  hard  work  of  pre- 
paring the  meat.  Men  and  women  w^orked  to- 
gether, the  men  skinning  the  animals  and  cut- 
ting the  joints.  The  women  staked  out  on  the 
ground  the  tightly  stretched  hides,  that  they 
might  not  shrink  and  curl  in  drying.  Later  they 
would  make  the  skins  into  robes,  lodge  covers, 
blankets  for  men  and  women,  moccasins,  mit- 
tens. From  the  skinned  animals  the  women  cut 
the  best  portions  of  the  meat,  and  old  women 
sliced  it  thin  for  drying.  Even  the  smaller  chil- 
dren w^orked  now,  carrying  the  meat  to  the  camp 
for  drying,  and  bringing  fuel  for  the  fires. 

At  the  end  of  each  day  all  were  tired,  and 
glad  when  it  was  time  to  sleep.  For  two  weeks 
the  meat  was  dried,  and  then  the  men  were  ready 
for  another  hunt. 


SCOUTING 


Through  the  biis}^  days  Kiikiisim  had  been 
more  than  active,  and  there  had  been  little  time 
to  talk  with  Grandfather.  Great  was  his  happi- 
ness, then,  when  he  heard  the  Clayoquot  say  that 
he  would  be  one  of  the  scouts  to  look  for  the 
buffalo,  and  that  he  would  take  Kukusim  with 
him. 

Long  they  rode  over  the  rolling  prairie.  Then 
said  the  old  man:  "Grandson,  we  will  go  to  yon- 
der hill.  From  there  we  can  look  far  for  the 
buffalo." 

"Each  time  we  come  to  a  high  hill  it  is  the 
same,"  complained  the  boy,  when  they  reached 
the  hill  top  and  found  the  country  bare  of  living 
creatures.  "We  sight  no  buffalo,  except  two 
or  three,  which  run  when  they  see  us.  Do  you 
think.  Grandfather,  that  I-tsik-ba-dish  warned 
them,  and  that  they  traveled  far  away  from 
danger?" 

171 


172        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


Fire  sticks 


"I  do  not  know,  Grandson.  It  may  be  so. 
More  likely  the  buffalo  that  escaped  from  our 
drive  at  the  precipice  had 
fear  in  their  hearts  and  led 
the  others  away.  But  soon 
it  will  be  dark.  Far  yon- 
der is  a  stream,  and  in  the 
shelter  of  its  trees  and  thick 
brush  we  will  camp  for  the 
night.  The  brush  is  so 
thick  that  if  an  enemy 
passes  he  will  not  see  our 
fire." 

The  sun  was  sinking  when  they  reached  the 
shelter  of  the  cottonwood  trees  bordering  the 
creek,  and  soon  the  horses  were  tethered  in  the 
open,  that  they  might  eat  their  fill  before  night 
came. 

"Here  is  thick  brush,"  said  the  old  man. 
"Truly  no  one  could  find  us  in  this  place.  In 
this  small  open  space  among '  the  trees  we  can 
have  our  sleep  tonight.  Let  us  gather  a  lot  of 
this  dry  rubbish  to  put  beneath  us,  that  the  sweat 
of  the  earth  may  not  get  into  my  old  bones." 

Their  bed  prepared,  he  ordered  the  boy  to 
gather  some  of  the  dry  fiber  found  inside  the 
bark  of  decaying  cottonwoods.  Then  he  took  a 
dead  dry  stick  half  as  large  as  his  wrist,  which  he 
flattened  on  both  sides  until  it  would  lie  firmly 
on  the  ground.  In  it  he  cut  a  slight  notch  ex- 
tending to  one  edge.    Next  he  found  a  straight 


Scouting 


173 


Making  fire 


shaft  of  dead  willow,  the  length  of  his  forearm. 
One  end  of  it  he  pointed  and  set  into  the  notch 
of  the  larger  piece. 

Finally,  between  the  palms  of  his  hands,  he 
twirled  the  willow  spindle  rapidly,  and  always 
with  downward  pressia^e.  Almost  instantly  there 
was  a  thin  line  of  smoke,  and  friction-charred 
dust  flowed  down  the  notch  from  the  point  of 
the  stick  and  fell  upon  a  bit  of  the  dry  fiber.  As 
if  by  magic  there  was  a  glowing  spark,  and  with 
a  little  of  the  dry  fiber  for  tinder  he  quickly  had 
a  flame,  all  in  less  than  fifty  pulse  beats. 

While  their  dried  meat  was  toasting  on  sharp- 
ened sticks  pushed  into  the  ground,  Kukiisim 
picked  up  the  two  dead  and  withered  fire  sticks 
and  looked  thoughtfully  at  them,  and  then  at  the 
sparkling  fire  which  now  leaped  into  the  air. 

"Grandfather,  who  first  learned  how  to  make 
fire  with  sticks?"  he  asked. 

"I  do  not  know,  Grandson.     There  are  many 


174        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

tales  of  how  people  learned  to  make  fire.  In  the 
long  ago  time  people  had  no  fire.  The  Apsaroke 
often  speak  of  the  ancient  people  as  those  who 
had  no  fires." 

"How  did  they  live  without  fire?" 

"Do  not  the  bears  eat  their  fill  of  raw  roots 
and  pick  berries  from  the  bushes?  So  it  must 
have  been  with  people  in  the  days  before  they 
learned  to  make  fire." 

"Without  fire  the  winter  must  have  been  cold 
and  hard,  Grandfather.  I  am  glad  I  did  not  live 
then.    But  tell  me  one  of  your  tales  about  fire." 

"Well,  here  is  one  I  have  heard  in  the  land  that 
lies  far  to  the  south. 

"When  the  Creator  had  made  the  earth,  the 
animals,  and  the  people,  he  saw  that  the  people 
must  have  fire.  So  he  called  Coyote,  and  com- 
manded, 'Go  to  the  Land  of  the  Fireflies  and 
bring  back  their  fire,  for  the  people  have  no  fire 
with  which  to  cook  their  food.' 

"The  Fireflies  lived  at  the  bottom  of  a  deep, 
deep  hole,  an  enormous  well  in  the  solid  rock.  Its 
sides  were  smooth  and  straight,  and  how  to  get 
down  Coyote  did  not  know.  But  he  went  to 
the  edge  of  the  pit,  and  there  he  found  Little 
Tree  growing. 

"  'Help  me  down  to  the  Land  of  the  Fireflies,' 
he  begged. 

"So  Little  Tree  sent  its  roots  down,  down, 
down,  until  they  extended  quite  to  the  bottom. 
Coyote  climbed  down,  and  there  he  played  with 


n^' 


Scouting 

the  Firefly  boys.     As     f 

he  romped  about,  run-     § 

ning   back   and    forth,      | 

he   pretended   to   have 

no    thought    of    the 

fire;    for   the   Fireflies 

guarded  their  fire  most  carefully, 

and  would  let  no  one  touch  it. 

"Now  on  the  tip  of  his  tail 
Coyote  had  tied  a  tuft  of  dry 
cedar  bark.  Suddenly  he  dashed 
through  the  great  fire  which  al- 
ways burned  in  the  center  of  the 
village.  Away  he  ran  before  the 
Firefly  people  understood  what 
had  happened.  When  they  knew 
that  Coyote  had  stolen  their  fire, 
they  gave  chase.  But  Coyote  was 
very  swift,  and  he  reached  the  wall 
of  the  pit  far  ahead  of  them. 

"  Xittle  Tree,  Little  Tree,  help 
me  out!'  he  called. 

"Little  Tree  drew  its  roots  up, 
up,  up,  while  Coyote  held  on  and 


175 


m 


M"S 


176        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


The  Kalispel 


was  drawn  safely 
out  of  the  hole. 
Then  he  ran 
quickly  among  the 
people,  lighting 
the  piles  of  wood 
they  had  pre- 
pared. Thus  every 
family  was  sup- 
plied with  fire." 
"Now,  Grand- 
father," said  Kukiisim,  "I  will  tell  you  what  our 
brothers,  the  Kalispel,^  say  about  the  first  fire. 

"Long  ago  the  only  fire  was  in  a  world  above 
the  sky.  The  people  held  a  meeting  to  make 
plans  for  stealing  this  fire,  and  it  was  decided 
that  the  leader  should  be  the  one  whose  war  song 
was  the  best.  Muskrat  sang  first,  but  his  song 
was  not  good.    Others  in  their  turn  sang. 

"Near  by  was  a  small  knoll,  from  which  came 
the  sound  of  whistling.  They  hurried  over  to  it 
and  found  Coj^ote  and  his  friend  Wren,  who  had 
a  thick  bimdle  of  small  arrows.  The  two  were 
invited  to  the  council,  and  there  Coyote  sang  his 
war  song.  It  was  so  good  that  all  the  others 
could  not  keep  from  dancing,  and  so  Coyote  was 
made  chief  of  the  party  of  fire  stealers. 

"Now  the  question  was,  how  to  get  into  the 

^  The  Kalispel  (pronounced  Ka'-lis-pel')  were  a  small  tribe, 
closely  related  to  the  Salish,  and  living  on  what  we  know  as  Pend 
d'Orielle  River,  or  Clark's  Fork  of  the  Columbia,  in  northeastern 
Washington.     About  one  hundred  of  them  still  live  there. 


Scouting 


177 


Dance  of  the  Fire  Stealers 


upper  world  above  the  sky.  Wren  said  that  he 
would  shoot  an  arrow  up,  piercing  the  sky ;  then 
he  would  shoot  another  into  the  end  of  the  first 
arrow,  and  so  on  until  there  was  a  long  line  of 
his  arrows  from  the  sky  down  to  the  ground. 

"When  all  this  had  been  done.  Wren,  because 
he  was  the  lightest,  climbed  up  with  a  long  rope 
of  bark.  From  the  upper  world  he  let  down  the 
rope,  and  all  the  others  began  to  climb.  The  last 
one  was  Bear,  that  greedy  fellow,  who  took  two 
baskets  of  food  on  his  back.  But  so  heavy  were 
they  that  when  he  was  half-way  up  the  rope 
broke  and  Bear  tumbled  back  to  the  earth.  And 
so  fat  was  he  that  he  was  not  injured. 

"In  the  upper  world  it  was  found  that  Curlew 
was  the  keeper  of  the  fire  and  of  the  fish-weir, 
and  Frog  and  Bullsnake  were  sent  as  scouts  to 
learn  in  which  house  the  fire  was  kept.  They 
crept  up  close  to  the  village,  and  stopped  to  lis- 
ten.   Frog  was  in  the  lead,  and  Bullsnake,  be- 


178        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

coming  hungry,  began  to  lick  Frog's  feet,  and 
suddenly  swallowed  him  with  a  gulp.  Then  he 
returned  to  the  others  and  told  them  that  Frog 
had  been  eaten;  but  he  would  not  say  who  had 
eaten  him. 

"Coyote,  the  chief,  now  ordered  Beaver  to  go 
into  the  village  and  steal  some  of  the  fire.  So 
Beaver  made  a  plan  with  Eagle.  He  went  to 
the  river  and  floated  down,  pretending  to  be 
dead.  Curlew,  keeping  his  watch  on  the  bank, 
saw  the  Beaver  lodge  against  his  fish-weir,  and 
dragged  him  out  for  the  sake  of  his  soft  fur. 
When  he  had  thrown  the  Beaver  into  the  cor- 
ner of  his  house.  Eagle  alighted  on  the  roof, 
acting  as  if  he  were  wounded  and  unable  to  fly 
away.  Then  everybody  ran  out  of  Curlew's  house 
to  capture  the  great  bird  for  his  feathers,  and 

Beaver  seized  the  fire 
and  ran. 

"Just  as  Beaver 
reached  the  river,  the 
people  saw  him  and 
gave  chase.  He  dived, 
carrying  the  spark  of 
fire  under  one  of  his 
claws  so  that  the  water 
could  not  touch  it. 

"Now  Curlew  sent 

Spider  down  the  river 

to  spread  his  net  in  the  water  and  thus  catch  the 

thief.    But  Beaver  swam  too  swiftly,  and  so  he 


Scouting  179 

reached  the  rope  safely  and  climbed  down.  The 
others  of  his  party  followed,  and  thus  it  was  that 
the  people  of  the  earth  obtained  their  first  fire. 
So  say  the  Kalispel." 

"It  is  a  good  tale,  my  boy,  and  you  tell  it 
well,"  said  the  old  man.  "But  we  have  talked 
long,  and  it  is  now  time  to  sleep.  And  first  we 
must  bring  our  horses  and  tie  them  close  to  us, 
lest  some  enemy  find  them." 


A  STRANGE  TRAIL 


"Awake,  my  Grandson!" 

Kukusim  rubbed  sleepy  eyes,  and  in  a  moment 
was  on  his  feet  and  eagerly  sniffing  the  savory 
odor  of  broiling  meat. 

"Our  horses  have  fed,"  said  the  Clayoquot. 
"We  will  eat  a  mouthful,  and  start  on  our  day's 
ride.     We  will  go  northward." 

Soon  they  were  galloping  across  the  plains, 
looking  in  every  direction  for  buffalo.  At  mid- 
afternoon,  close  ahead  of  them,  their  keen  eyes 
detected  a  streak  of  foot-worn  grass. 

"Is  it  the  tracks  of  buffalo,  or  of  buffalo 
hunters?"  the  old  man  wondered.  "We  will  go 
closer  and  see." 

After  examining  the  ground,  he  announced, 
"It  is  a  large  party  of  hunters  traveling  east- 
ward." 

"Who  do  you  think  they  are,  and  how  long 
ago  did  they  pass?" 

"They  passed  but  a  few  days  ago.     See  how 


180 


A  Strange  Trail  181 

fresh  are  the  tracks.  Who  they  are  we  cannot 
tell,  but  we  will  follow  for  a  time,  and  perhaps 
may  learn.  It  may  be  your  mother's  people,  the 
Pierced  Noses.  You  know  that  word  came  to 
our  camp  before  we  started,  saying  that  they  had 
gone  to  the  buffalo  country  to  hunt.  Perhaps 
on  the  trail  we  shall  find  some  object  which  will 
tell  us  who  they  are." 

Mile  after  mile  they  followed  the  trail  with- 
out finding  any  sign  by  which  they  could  tell 
about  the  party.     Then  said  the  grandfather : 

"The  sun  is  sinking.  We  must  not  travel 
longer  on  this  trail.  It  may  be  an  enemy,  and 
we  might  be  seen  by  their  scouts.  Here  on  our 
right  is  a  very  high  hill,  with  some  brush  close 
to  the  top.  We  will  stay  there  tonight,  and  if 
a  camp  is  within  the  reach  of  our  eyes  we  shall 
see  the  fires  in  the  darkness.  The  bushes  will 
conceal  the  horses  and  ourselves." 

Watchfully  and  carefully  they  made  their  way 
to  the  summit.  Crouching  there  in  the  protection 
of  the  dark,  scrubby  trees,  they  studied  the  coun- 
try in  every  direction. 

"My  eyes  find  nothing  in  the  distance.  Grand- 
son, but  I  see  that  the  scouts  of  the  unknown 
have  been  here  before  us  to  spy  out  the  land. 
See  where  their  horses'  feet  have  broken  the 
ground.    We  will  sleep  here  tonight." 

"And  shall  we  make  a  fire?" 

"Not  tonight.  An  enemy  might  see  it.  We 
are  like  scouts,  and  must  have  no  light.    When 


182        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


it  is  dark  and  the  stars  come  out,  we  must  look 
long  with  strong  eyes  to  find  the  camp-fires  of 
the  unknown." 

"You  say  when  the  stars  come  out.  Do  you 
remember  that  you  promised  to  tell  me  a  story 
of  the  stars  some  night  when  we  could  see  them? 
Tonight  the  sky  is  clear." 

So,  as  they  munched  their  dry,  uncooked  meat, 
the  old  man  related  the  Star  Story  of  the  Puyal- 
lup.^ 

"There  were  two  sisters  who,  working  to- 
gether, kept  their  household  supplied  with  fern 
roots.  At  times  they  camped  out  overnight, 
being  too  far  from  home  to  return. 

"One  night,  after  they  had  arranged  their 
beds,  they  lay  gazing  up  at  the  stars.  They  won- 
dered who  the  stars  were  and  how  they  lived. 

"Tapat,  the  younger,  said:    'Do  you  see  that 

^  The  Puyallup  (pronounced  Pu-yal'-liip)  are  a  Puget  Sound 
tribe  formerly  occupying  the  valley  of  Puyallup  River  and  the  ad- 
jacent shores  of  the  sound,  including  the  site  of  the  city  of 
Tacoma. 


A  Strange  Trail  183 

little  red  star?  You  may  have  him  for  your  hus- 
band, but  that  big  bright  one  is  the  one  I  want 
for  mine.  I  wish,  we  were  married  to  them, 
truly!' 

"  'Oh,  be  quiet!'  scolded  Yasidbish.  'Why  do 
you  talk  that  way?' 

"Soon  they  fell  asleep.  In  the  morning  they 
awakened  early,  and  found  themselves  in  the  land 
of  the  Star  people.  Beside  each  lay  a  husband, 
the  very  one  they  had  talked  about  in  the  night. 
But  the  red  Star,  husband  of  the  elder  sister, 
was  a  handsome  young  man,  while  the  big  bright 
Star  was  old  and  white-haired. 

"They  were  much  frightened,  but  there  was 
nothing  to  do  but  make  the  best  of  it.  As  on  the 
earth,  they  spent  their  days  digging  fern  roots. 

"Their  husbands  advised  them  not  to  dig  the 
longest  roots,  w^hich,  they  said,  were  not  so  good 
as  the  others.  But  the  girls  knew  this  was  not 
true  of  the  earth  roots,  and  wondered  why  their 
husbands  told  them  this. 

"One  day  they  dug  out  the  very  longest  root 
they  could  find.  Suddenly  their  digging  sticks 
broke  through  the  ground,  and  peering  down 
through  the  hole,  they  beheld  the  earth  spread 
out  below  them. 

"They  decided  to  escape,  and  gathering  many 
slender  branches  of  cedar,  they  twisted  a  long 
rope  and  let  it  down  through  the  hole.  Then, 
making  the  end  fast,  they  quickly  slid  down  to 
the  earth. 


184        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

"Very  soon  after  their  escape  the  elder  sister 
had  a  child,  a  boy,  who  was  named  Dababet. 
Every  day  when  she  went  to  dig  roots  she  left 
the  baby  in  the  care  of  Toad  Woman,  its  grand- 
mother, who  tied  a  board  to  the  rope  dangling 
from  the  sky.     This  was  a  swing  for  the  baby. 

"But  Toad  Woman  was  blind,  and  one  day 
two  women  from  the  north  came  and  stole  the 
baby.  Far  and  wide  the  people  searched,  but 
they  could  not  find  the  child  Dababet. 

"Many  years  passed.  Blue  Jay,  traveling  far 
in  the  north,  discovered  a  land  beyond  this  one. 
To  reach  it  one  had  to  pass  beneath  a  shelf  of 
land  which  constantly  rose  and  fell  like  a  huge 
jaw,  shaking  the  earth  each  time  it  came  down. 

"Blue  Jay  was  afraid  to  try  the  passage,  but 
at  last  he  mustered  all  his  courage  and  made  a 
dash,  feet  foremost.  He  got  through,  but  not 
without  injury.  His  head  was  caught  and  flat- 
tened at  the  sides,  as  are  the  heads  of  all  Blue 
Jays  to  this  day. 

"In  the  northern  land.  Blue  Jay  found  a  single 
house,  in  which  sat  a  man  chipping  arrow-heads 
from  flint.  When  he  appeared  at  the  door,  the 
man  hurled  a  handful  of  flint  chips  at  him,  al- 
most blinding  him,  and  began  to  scold  him  for 
making  a  noise  and  spoiling  the  work. 

"Now  wise  Blue  Jay  had  recognized  the  man 
as  Dababet,  and  he  cried  out :  'Why  do  you  treat 
me  so?  I  came  to  tell  you  that  your  mother  has 
been  searching  the  earth  for  you  many  years.' 


A  Strange  Trail  185 

"Then  the  man  rose  and  with  a  touch  healed 
Blue  Jay's  eyes.  He  told  Blue  Jay  to  go  back 
and  inform  the  people  that  Dababet  had  spent 
the  years  in  making  many  things  for  them,  and 
soon  would  come  to  teach  them  what  to  eat  and 
how  to  work.  For  the  people  were  very  poor, 
and  knew  nothing.    They  lived  like  the  beasts. 

"Not  long  after  this  Dababet  appeared  among 
them  with  baskets,  awls,  bows  and  arrows, 
quivers,  war  clubs,  fire  drills,  moccasins,  skin 
garments,  and  many  other  tools  and  implements. 
He  had  also  numerous  roots  and  berries,  and  the 
seeds  of  countless  trees  and  shrubs,  which  he 
afterward  planted.  For  up  to  this  time  the 
earth  had  been  barren. 

"When  he  came,  the  Stones  were  people,  but 
he  made  them  stationary.  In  the  water  he  placed 
fish,  and  on  land  beasts.  On  each  river  he  put 
canoes.  The  huge  flies  and  other  insects,  the 
terrors  of  the  earth,  he  made  small  and  compara- 
tively harmless. 

"Many  evils  he  corrected,  changing  terrible 
creatures  into  harmless  animals  or  lifeless  things. 
In  the  country  of  the  Puyallup,  they  say,  Daba- 
bet performed  the  same  work  which  Coyote  did 
on  the  Great  River. 

"After  all  his  labors  were  ended,  Dababet 
went  to  the  home  of  his  grandmother,  Toad 
Woman,  from  whom  he  had  been  stolen.  There 
he  saw  a  mountain  of  rock,  formed  from  the  coils 
of   the   fallen   rope   by   which   his   mother   had 


186        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


The  night  sun 


escaped  from  the  sky.  And  in  that  land  the 
people  pointed  out  this  mountain  to  me. 

"In  those  days  the  earth  was  dim.  There  was 
no  sun  for  the  day  nor  for  the  night.  Dababet 
therefore  went  into  the  sky  and  traveled  across 
it  in  the  form  of  the  sun.  But  he  made  the  days 
so  hot  that  the  people  could  not  endure  it. 

"Then  he  came  down  and  changed  a  man  into 
the  shape  of  the  sun,  and  sent  him  into  the  sky. 
He  said  that  he  himself  would  become  the  night 
sun.^ 

"He  announced  that  he  would  marry  whatever 
girl  could  lift  his  great  bundle  of  tools  and  seeds. 
Only  the  daughter  of  Frog  Woman  could  lift  it, 
and  she  accompanied  him  into  the  sky.  And  to 
this  day  Dababet  and  Frog,  with  the  great  bag 
on  her  back,  may  be  seen  in  the  night  sun." 

*  Most  Indian  tribes  speak  of  the  moon  as  the  "night  sun." 


THE  WOLVES  AND  THE  DEER 

The  boy  gave  a  pleased  sigh  as  he  turned  his 
eyes  toward  the  moon,  which  had  just  appeared, 
big  and  red,  above  the  horizon. 

"So  that  is  what  those  dim  shadows  are  which 
we  see  in  the  night  sun!"  he  exclaimed.  "Daba- 
bet  was  a  great  man,  and  I  shall  always  think 
of  his  great  deeds  when  the  night  sun  shines. 

"Grandfather,  how  is  it  that  you  have  never 
told  a  tale  of  your  own  people?" 

"Well,  Grandson,  since  you  ask,  here  is  a  story 
I  used  to  hear  my  old  grandfather  repeat  in  the 
great  house  of  my  father.  Have  you  ever  heard 
hunters  say  that  wolves,  when  they  kill  a  deer, 
always  leave  the  stomach  uneaten?  Yes,  so  it 
is,  and  this  is  the  reason,  if  we  may  believe  the 
story. 

"It  was  in  those  ancient  days  when  all  ani- 
mals were  people.  Deer  and  his  small  son 
were  in  their  canoe,  fishing.    The  boy  fell  asleep. 

"In  a  short  time  a  canoe  paddled  by  some  of 
the  Wolf  people  passed  him,  and  Deer  called, 
'Oh,  are  you  going  home?'  And  in  a  lower  tone 
he  added  insultingly,  'You  Eaters  of  Raw  Food!' 

"The  Wolves  responded  with  civil  words  and 
went  on. 

"Soon  came  another  canoe  of  the  Wolves,  and 
again  Deer  called,  'Oh,  are  you  going  home,  you 
Eaters  of  Raw  Food?' 

"But  this  time  he  carelessly  spoke  his  insult 
a  little  too  loud,  and  the  Wolves  understood. 

187 


188        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


"  'What  is  that  you  are  saying?'  demanded 
one. 

"  'Oh,  I  asked  if  you  are  going  home,'  rephed 
Deer,  'and  said  that  you  are  having  a  fine  day 
for  moving.' 

"  'No,  that  is  not  what  you  said,'  the  Wolf  de- 
clared. 

"They  paddled  up  alongside  and  dragged 
Deer  out  into  their  canoe,  leaving  the  boy  asleep 
in  the  anchored  canoe.  They  took  Deer  to  their 
village  and  made  him  a  slave  to  the  chief  of  the 
Wolves. 

"One  day  the  wife  of  the  chief  ordered  him  to 
sharpen  for  her  two  clam-shell  knives.  So  he 
went  to  the  beach  and  began  his  task.  And  as 
he  rubbed  the  shells  over  a  stone,  he  sang: 

"  'Knife,  knife,  knife,  knife! 

I  am  sharpening  the  knife  for  the  Wolf 

chief. 
Kwsh,  hwsh,  kwsh,  kwsh!' 


The  Wolves  and  the  Deer  189 

"As  he  worked,  he 
thought  of  a  plan  of 
escape,  and  when  both 
the  knives  were  well 
sharpened,  he  hid 
one  under  a  corner  of 
the  house.  The  other 
he  carried  to  the  Wolf 
Woman,  saying,  '  I 
broke  one,  my  mis- 
tress.' 

'"Where  is  it?'  she 

In  the  wolf  mask 

asked. 

"  'Why,'  said  Deer,  'it  was  broken  into  small 
bits  that  could  not  be  put  together,  and  I  threw 
them  into  the  water.     So  it  was,  my  mistress.' 

"That  night  the  Wolf  chief  could  not  sleep, 
and  he  called  to  Deer,  'Slave,  come  and  tell  me 
a  story  to  make  me  sleep.' 

"So  Deer  sat  down  beside  him  as  he  lay  on 
the  floor  leaning  his  head  against  the  bed.  After 
a  while  the  chief  and  all  the  others  fell  asleep. 
Then  Deer  slipped  quietly  out,  got  the  knife 
from  its  hiding-place  under  the  house,  and 
slashed  off  the  Wolf  chief's  head. 

"In  my  country.  Grandson,  the  warriors  take 
not  the  scalp,  but  the  head. 

"He  ran  down  to  a  canoe,  set  the  dripping 
head  on  the  prow,  and  paddled  away  homeward, 
singing  a  war  song  about  the  head  he  had  taken. 

"When  the  chief's  wife  awoke  and  saw  her  hus- 


190        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


band  sitting  on  the 
floor,  apparently- 
sleeping,  she  gave 
him  a  nudge  and 
said,  'Come  to  bed.' 
"There  was  no  an- 
swer, and  she  saw  a 
dark,  wet  spot  on  the 
floor.  She  looked 
more  closely  and  no- 
ticed  that   the   head 


was  missmg 
''A 


at,  air  she 
wailed.  'Something 
terrible  has  hap- 
pened !' 

"Then  the  people 
leaped  out  of  their  beds,  and  others  came  rush- 
ing from  near-by  houses.  Some  one  noticed  that 
the  slave  was  gone,  and  they  began  to  suspect 
him. 

"Now,  Wren  was  a  man  who  had  power  to  see 
everything,  no  matter  how  far  away.  So  he  sat 
down  and  sang  his  medicine  song,  and  then  in  his 
mind  he  saw  Deer  paddling  home  in  a  canoe,  with 
the  chief's  head  in  the  prow.  He  called  upon 
Crane  to  bring  out  his  medicine  box  and  create 
a  fog. 

"Then  Crane  opened  his  box,  and  immediately 
the  water  was  covered  with  a  fog  so  dense  that 
Deer  could  not  see  his  way,  and  becoming  con- 


The  Wolves  and  the  Deer  191 

fused  he  paddled  ashore  at  the  Wolf  chief's  vil- 
lage, thinking  he  was  at  home.  The  Wolf  men 
had  sharpened  their  teeth  and  claws,  and  were 
waiting  on  the  beach. 

"When  the  Deer  man  landed  and  caught  sight 
of  the  Wolves,  he  ran  and  quickly  climbed  into  a 
tree.  As  they  could  not  climb,  they  began  to 
gnaw  off  the  roots.  Soon  the  tree  fell,  but  Deer 
leaped  into  another,  and  again  the  Wolves  began 
to  dig  and  scratch  and  gnaw.  But  as  the  tree 
toppled,  Deer  jumped  into  another,  and  so  it 
continued  until  the  Wolves  were  exhausted. 

"Then  they  held  a  council,  and  other  men  as- 
sembled with  them  to  decide  upon  a  way  to 
capture  Deer.  But  no  one  could  think  of  a 
good  plan,  and  they  waited  for  Wren,  who  had 
not  yet  come.  At  length  a  messenger  was  sent 
to  him,  and  then  he  came. 

"  'Such  a  little  man,  and  we  always  have  to 
wait  for  him!'  grunted  Elk,  impatiently. 

"Wren  sat  down  beside  him  and  chirped: 
'Well,  why  do  you  not  think,  and  make  up  your 
mind  about  this  matter,  you  big  man?  Such  a 
big-nosed  thing!' 

"  'I  will  crush  you  with  my  arm  if  you  are  not 
more  careful,'  threatened  Elk. 

"  'Try  it,  and  I  will  go  into  your  big  nose!' 

"So  the  dispute  continued,  and  suddenly 
Wren  darted  into  Elk's  huge  nostril,  and  the  big 
man  was  taken  with  a  fit  of  sneezing.  When  the 
great  fellow  was  almost  dead.  Wren  came  out, 


192        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


and  Elk  was  willing  to 
have  peace. 

"Now  Wren  told 
them  what  should  be 
done  about  Deer.  First 
he  made  up  a  song,  all 
about  the  arms  and 
legs  of  Deer  falling 
down  from  the  tree, 
and  he  told  them  to  sing  it. 
"So  they  took  up  the  song,  and 
danced  in  a  circle  about  the  tree, 
and  when  they  had  passed  four  times  around  it 
and  had  finished  the  song  the  fourth  time,  down 
through  the  branches  fell  one  of  Deer's  legs, 
which  the  Wolves  leaped  upon  and  devoured. 

"Then  they  resumed  their  singing  and  dancing, 
and  another  leg  tumbled  down. 

"  'I  pray,  my  masters,'  begged  Deer,  'do  not 
eat  my  stomach!' 

"On  went  the  dancing  and  the  singing,  and 
one  by  one  fell  pieces  of  Deer's  body,  and  all 
was  eaten  by  the  Wolves  except  the  stomach. 
This  is  where  the  Wolves  formed  their  habit  of 
leaving  the  stomach  of  the  Deer.  So  say  the 
Clayoquot." 

Heavy  darkness  had  fallen.  Kukusim  yawned 
and  began  to  arrange  his  robe  for  sleep. 

"What  a  scout  you  are!"  said  the  old  man,  re- 
provingly. "Have  you  forgotten  that  it  is  our 
duty  to  look  for  enemies  as  well  as  for  buffalo?" 


The  Wolves  and  the  Deer 


193 


A  Clayoquot 

The  boy  leaped  to  his  feet,  alert  and  eager  at 
the  mention  of  possible  enemies,  and  together 
they  crept  to  the  edge  of  the  undergrowth  and 
searched  the  horizon  with  careful  eyes.  But  no 
light  rent  the  mantle  of  blackness  that  over- 
spread the  land,  and  they  returned  to  their 
blankets. 


A  CAMP  DISCOVERED 

"Ho!  Grandson!  It  is  time  to  throw  away  the 
sleep." 

Kukiisim  rolled  out  of  his  blanket.  The  east- 
ern sky  was  gray. 

"We  must  be  traveling,"  admonished  the  old 
man.  "Our  horses  had  little  to  eat  in  the  night, 
and  we  will  take  them  down  to  the  rich  grass  of 
the  valley,  where  they  can  feed  and  drink.  But 
before  we  start,  Grandson,  come  to  my  side  and 
turn  your  eyes  toward  the  coming  sun.  Look 
long  and  closely.  Do  you  see  a  thin  cloud  al- 
most touching  Mother  Earth?  That  cloud  is 
smoke  from  some  camp,  perhaps  the  camp  of  an 
enemy.     We  will  ride  in  that  direction." 

The  day  was  still  young  when  they  mounted 
their  horses.  Long  they  galloped  eastward,  and 
at  length  the  Clayoquot  drew^  rein  and  spoke. 

"The  sun  is  overhead,  my  boy,  and  yet  we  do 
not  see  the  camp.  Watch  you  the  horses  here, 
and  I  will  crawl  on  my  belly  up  yonder  hill  and 
look.  Before  I  start  I  will  arrange  my  hair  as 
do  the  Apsaroke  scouts." 

He  gathered  wisps  of  long  grass  and  tied 
them  in  his  hair  in  such  a  way  that  from  a  dis- 
tance his  head  and  shoulders  looked  like  a  bunch 
of  grass. 

"See,  Grandson!  Now  when  I  come  to  the 
hill  top  to  look  beyond,  I  shall  seem  to  be  but  a 
tuft  of  grass.    Soon  I  will  return." 

Kukiisim  watched  the  old  man  creep  up  the 

194 


A  Camp  Discovered 


195 


hill,  and  then  all  he  could  see  was  a  small,  dark 
spot  against  the  sky.  He  could  hear  his  heart 
heat  in  the  anxiety  of  the  mo- 
ments of  waiting.  Was  it  the 
camp  of  an  enemy,  who  might 
swoop  down  upon  them? 

In  a  short  time  the  scout 
returned. 

"Leave  the  horses  and  come 
with  me!" 

"What  is  it,  Grandfather  ?'* 
asked  the  boy,  anxiously. 

"Waste  not  your  breath  in 
questions,  when  soon  your 
eyes  will  see.     Creep  close  to 
the  ground.    Now  raise  your  eyes,  but  not  your 
body." 

In  the  valley  below,  and  but  a  few  miles  away, 
lay  a  beautiful  camp  of  skin  lodges,  many  of 
them  white  as  snow,  others  browned  with  the 
smoke  of  many  fires.  In  the  meadows  and  on  the 
hills  grazed  hundreds  of  ponies. 

"Grandfather,"  whispered  Kukiisim,  "who  are 
the  people  of  the  camp?" 

"I  think  they  are  your  mother's  people.  If 
they  were  Apsaroke  their  lodges  would  be  larger, 
and  the  lodges  of  the  Snakes  are  smaller  and  not 
so  fine  as  these.  My  heart  tells  me  that  they  are 
Pierced  Noses.  We  will  not  wait  long  here. 
Far  down  this  same  valley  is  our  own  camp.  If 
we  ride  fast  we  may  arrive  by  the  time  full  dark- 


196        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


ness  is  on  us.  Tomorrow  our  horses  can  rest. 
Today  let  them  use  their  legs.  It  is  time  you 
were  back  at  your  mother's  lodge.  She  will 
have  an  angry  heart  that  I  have  kept  you  so 
long." 

Instinct  told  the  horses  that  their  heads 
pointed  homeward,  and  little  urging  did  they 
need.  It  was  hour  after  hour  of  steady,  swing- 
ing lope.  When  the  faithful  ponies  lagged,  they 
were  forced  on  with  whip  and  word. 

Darkness  settled  before  the  tired  animals 
brought  them  in  sight  of  the  encampment.  How 
large  and  fine  it  looked,  each  lodge  lit  up  with  its 
fire  and  glowing  in  the  darkness ! 

Kukiisim's  mother  took  his  horse  from  him  as 
though  he  were  a  returning  warrior. 

"I  thought  the  enemy  had  taken  you,  my  son! 
Do  you  think  you  are  a  warrior,  that  you  travel 
so  far?" 

"I  have  learned  many  things,  Mother,  and  we 
saw  a  big  camp.  Grandfather  thinks  they  are 
your  people." 

"How  far  away  is  the  camp?"  she  asked 
eagerly. 

"The  sun  was  little  more  than  half-way  on  its 


A  Camp  Discovered 

journey  when  we 
saw  them.  Since  that 
time  we  have  ridden 
like  the  wind." 

"Are  there  many 
lodges?" 

"Half  as  many  as 
in  our  camp." 

"Eat  your  food 
now,  my  son,  and 
then  sleep.  The 
scouts  have  found 
the  buffalo,  and  to- 
morrow the  men  will 
hunt." 

"May  I  go  with 
them.  Mother?" 

"You  may  stay  in  the  camp  with  the  rest  of 
the  children.  Your  head  has  grown  large  with 
being  a  chief's  son  and  with  much  talking  with 
the  stranger.  It  is  bad  that  you  have  no  real 
grandfather  to  speak  to  you  with  hard  words. 
Scarface's  grandfather  is  always  speaking  to  him 
with  hard  words." 

"I  like  better  your  soft  words  and  Grand- 
father's stories,"  said  Kukiisim,  mischievously. 

"Scarf ace  is  not  so  good  a  boy  as  you,"  admit- 
ted the  mother,  "and  it  is  well  that  his  grand- 
father uses  sharp  words  to  him.  Sleep  now.  We 
have  made  words  enough." 

In  the  meantime  He  Who  Was  Dead  And 


198        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

Lives  Again  had  joined  the  men  in  council,  and 
many  were  their  questions  as  to  what  he  had  seen. 

"I  have  traveled 
far  toward  the  west 
and  the  northwest," 
he  told  them.  "Dur- 
ing the  second  sun  I 
came  to  the  trail  of 
many  horses.  I  fol- 
lowed the  tracks  far, 
and  to  the  north  in 
this  valley  I  found  a 
camp.  My  heart 
tells  me  that  they  are 
the  friendly  Pierced 
Noses,  but  because 
the  boy  was  with  me 
I  did  not  spy  on  the 
edge  of  the  camp." 
"If  it  truly  is  a 
camp  of  the  Pierced 
Noses,"  said  Lone  Pine,  "we  need  have  no  fear, 
and  tomorrow  we  can  kill  the  buffalo  our  scouts 
have  found.  We  need  more  meat  and  more 
skins." 

The  voice  of  the  council  was  that  they  should 
begin  the  hunt  as  planned.  Scouts  who  were 
known  to  the  Pierced  Noses  would  visit  the  camp, 
and  if  they  found  the  hearts  of  the  strangers  were 
friendly,  all  would  camp  together,  that  the  young 
people  might  enjoy  themselves. 


A   Nez  Perce  babe  in  cradle 


A^jya^^n 


^M^, 


VISIT  OF  THE  PIERCED  NOSES 

With  the  first  light  the  hunters  were  off  for  the 
plain  where  grazed  the  buffalo.  This  time  they 
were  to  hunt  on  horses,  and  kill  the  game  with 
bow  and  arrow.  Lone  Pine  carefully  reminded 
the  men  of  the  hunting  rules ;  no  one  could  act  for 
himself,  but  must  follow  the  orders  of  the  chief, 
and  no  one  could  dash  forward  in  advance  of  the 
others. 

Scouts  went  out  to  learn  the  exact  position  of 
the  herd.  When  they  returned  to  the  halted 
party,  all  gathered  close  to  hear  their  words. 
Each  man  mounted  his  fastest  horse,  which  had 
not  been  ridden  on  the  way  from  the  camp,  as  it 
must  be  fresh  for  the  chase.  The  riding  horses 
and  the  pack  animals  were  left  in  care  of  youths 
and  boys. 

When  the  hunters  came  in  view  of  the  herd,  it 
was  scattered  across  the  whole  valley.  As  it  was 
impossible  to  surround  the  entire  herd,  Lone 
Pine  quickly  ordered  that  a  small  band  near  by 
be  encircled. 

Swift  as  the  wind  the  horses  bore  down  upon 
the  animals,  cutting  off  several  hundred  from  the 
main  herd.    Now  the  effort  was  to  surround  the 

199 


200        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


A  Buffalo  dancer 


band  completely, 
blocking  every  line 
of  escape,  so  that 
the  frightened  buf- 
falo would  begin 
madly  charging 
about  in  a  circle. 
Then  the  hunters, 
by  the  pressure  of 
their  brown,  naked 
legs,  guided  their 
well  -  trained  horses 
close  to  the  side  of 
the  racing  animals 
and  let  fly  their  arrows.  To  kill  with  the  arrow 
they  had  to  be  so  close  that  their  feet  almost 
touched  the  shaggy  brutes.  Some  broke  from 
the  circle  and  made  their  escape,  but  few  were 
so  fortunate. 

The  slaughter  ended,  they  began  the  skinning 
and  butchering,  and  with  the  help  of  the  women, 
who  soon  arrived,  meat  and  hides  were  packed  on 
the  horses  for  conveying  to  the  camp.  Once  more 
there  was  merry  feasting,  and  the  racks  were 
filled  with  drying  meat. 

In  the  night  the  scouts  returned  with  the  wel- 
come news  that  the  camp  in  the  north  was  that 
of  Rolling  Thunder,  a  Pierced  Nose  chief.  His 
words  were,  said  the  scouts,  that  his  men  were 
just  starting  out  to  kill  buffalo,  and  that  they 
would  afterward  come  to  visit  the  Salish. 


Visit  of  the  Pierced  Noses 


201 


Dressing  skins 

So  again  the  Salish  went  out  with  horses  to 
kill  more  buffalo. 

"It  is  well,"  said  Lone  Pine,  "that  we  have 
much  fresh  meat,  so  that  we  may  feast  our 
guests." 

Some  of  the  skins  first  taken  had  been  scraped 
clean  of  hair,  rubbed  soft  and  white,  and  made 
into  lodge  covers.  Many  were  the  new  lodges, 
for  a  skilful  woman  could  prepare  twelve  skins 
in  a  day,  and  eighteen  covered  a  large  lodge. 
Throughout  the  camp,  women  were  busily  mak- 
ing new  clothing  for  their  husbands  and  them- 
selves, with  which  to  excite  the  admiration  of  the 
Pierced  Noses. 

As  the  time  drew  near  for  the  arrival  of  the 
visitors,  scouts  were  stationed  on  the  northern 
hills  to  watch  for  their  approach.  At  last  they 
signaled  that  the  Pierced  Noses  were  in  sight, 
and  returning  to  the  chief  they  reported  that  a 
temporary  camp  had  been  pitched  but  a  short 
ride  away. 


202        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

r 


Tomorrow  will  come  our  visitors 

"We  have  talked  with  their  scouts,"  they  con- 
eluded,  "and  tomorrow  when  the  sun  has  made 
half  his  journey,  they  will  come." 

Then  the  herald  rode  about  the  Salish  camp, 
shouting:  "Tomorrow  will  come  our  visitors, 
the  proud  Pierced  Noses.  Their  chief.  Rolling 
Thunder,  is  a  brave  man,  and  they  are  a  great 
people.  They  have  many  horses,  swift  horses, 
and  they  wear  gay  garments.  Their  women 
work  well  with  their  hands,  and  beautiful  are 
their  dresses  and  the  trappings  of  their  horses. 
Let  our  chiefs  and  warriors,  our  women  and 
children,  dress  in  their  best  clothing,  and  show 
that  the  Salish  are  a  people  no  less  proud.  Let 
our  maids  look  beautiful,  that  they  hide  not  their 
faces  in  shame  before  the  Pierced  Nose  girls, 
and  that  they  make  soft  the  hearts  of  the  young 
men." 

Time  after  time  the  herald  repeated  his  mes- 
sage as  he  rode  about  the  camp. 


Visit  of  the  Pierced  Noses 


203 


it. 

1 

'^'■»'-i^.|yHi,i,4iii|^ 

At  dawn  the  Salish  were  again  urged  to  pre- 
pare for  the  coming  of  the  visitors.  From  the 
earliest  hour  the  camp  was  busthng,  and  about 
the  middle  of  the  morning  men,  women,  and 
children  were  dressing  in  gala  costume  and  paint- 
ing their  faces  and  bodies.  As  the  sun  traveled 
around  to  the  south,  the  scouts  signaled  that  the 
visitors  were  approaching.  • 

Then  the  Salish  warriors  mounted  their  gaily 
decorated  horses  and  rode  out  to  meet  them.  A 
short  distance  from  the  camp  they  drew  up  in  a 
line,  as  if  to  give  battle.  Now  came  the  Pierced 
Noses,  who  likewise  formed  in  line,  facing  the 
Salish.  Lone  Pine  rode  out  from  among  his 
men,  and  Rolling  Thunder  advanced  to  meet 
him.  Sitting  on  his  prancing  horse.  Lone  Pine 
made  his  speech  of  welcome,  no  small  part  of 
which  told  of  his  own  bravery  and  prowess,  with 
much  flattery  of  the  visiting  chief  and  his  people. 

He  was  answered  in  like  spirit  by  the  Pierced 
Nose  chief. 


204        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

li 


Then  cried  Lone  Pine :  "It  is  good  that  Roll- 
ing Thunder  and  his  people  come  today.  Our 
hearts  are  happy.  Now  all  will  ride,  singing, 
around  our  camp,  and  then  our  brothers  will 
pitch  their  lodges  in  the  part  of  the  circle  we  have 
reserved  for  them." 

So  the  gay  cavalcade  of  the  warriors  of  both 
tribes  rode  slowly  around  the  camp  four  times, 
singing  their  war  songs  and  uttering  their  shrill 
war  cries.  The  Pierced  Nose  women  and  chil- 
dren kept  their  pack-horses  at  a  respectful  dis- 
tance until  the  end  of  this  ceremony,  and  then 
drove  them  up  to  the  place  where  their  lodges 
were  to  be  pitched. 


HOME  AGAIN 

For  Kukusim  these  were  exciting  times.  All 
day  long  and  far  into  night  there  were  feasts 
and  councils  in  his  father's  lodge.  In  them,  He 
Who  Was  Dead  And  Lives  Again  took  a  promi- 
nent part,  and  there  was  little  chance  for  quiet 
story  telling  or  rambles  together.  When  the  boy 
complained,  the  most  he  received  was  a  comfort- 
ing promise: 

"Never  mind,  Grandson.  Soon  the  visitors 
will  be  gone,  and  then  we  will  have  many  tales. 
And  the  long  winter  is  coming." 

With  the  departure  of  the  Pierced  Noses  came 
thoughts  of  the  homeward  journey. 

"Let  us  have  one  more  great  hunt,"  counseled 
the  men,  "and  then  we  will  start  across  the  moun- 
tains to  our  own  land." 

Days  were  spent  and  many  buffalo  songs  were 
sung  before  a  herd  was  discovered.  The  hunt 
was  with  horses,  like  the  last,  and  many  buffalo 
were  killed. 

205 


206        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


On  the  second  day  following,  Lone  Pine  him- 
self rode  through  the  camp  as  herald. 

"Salish,  already  the  North  Wind  has  brought 
down  the  cold,  and  each  night  he  has  covered 
the  plain  with  his  white  breath.  Men,  be  ready! 
Women,  hurry  in  preparing  for  the  march!  At 
once  we  must  start  for  our  home.  Soon  the  snow 
will  be  too  deep  in  the  mountains  for  our  horses." 
With  the  meat  half  dried  they  started.  Prog- 
ress now  W'as  slow,  for  the  pack  animals  were 
heavily  laden  with  bundles  of  meat  and  hides. 
Each  night  was  colder  than  the  last.  However 
warmly  the  mothers  wrapped  the  children,  they 

were  numb  with 
cold  at  the  end  of 
the  long  day's 
journey,  and  wel- 
come indeed  was 
the  glowing  camp- 
fire  which  awaited 
their  halt. 

When  they 
reached  the  high 
mountain  passes, 
the  snow  was  deep, 
and  it  was  still 
falling  so  thickly 
that  Kukusim  could  not  see  the  fourth  horse 
ahead  of  him.  Camp  had  to  be  made  in  the  deep 
snow,  and  bitter  was  the  work  of  clearing  away 
places  for  their  beds.     The  next  day  came  the 


Home  Again 


207 


At  the  stream  in  winter 

warm  West  Wind,  and  the  trails  were  again 
free  of  snow. 

At  last  they  were  in  the  pine-grown  valley  of 
their  own  river,  where  the  winter  camp  was  to 
be.  Lodges  were  soon  in  place.  Then,  with  a 
warm  lining  of  skin  on  the  inside  of  the  poles 
and  the  outside  cover  pegged  close  to  the  ground, 
they  were  warm  and  cozy  homes. 

For  Kukiisim  the  long  winter  months  passed 
rapidly.  Each  night  around  the  camp-fire 
brought  some  new  and  thrilling  story  about  the 
animals  of  the  mountains  and  plains,  or  the 
monsters  of  river  and  ocean. 


IN  THE  SPRINGTIME 


The  arrival  of  spring  was  full  of  moment  for 
Kukiisim.  Had  he  not  heard  countless  stories 
of  fasting  and  of  visions  in  which  strange  spirits 
and  animals  visited  the  faster?  And  he  knew 
that  soon  he  must  face  that  experience. 

"Come  close,  my  Son,"  one  day  said  Lone 
Pine,  "where  others  may  not  hear  our  words. 
Many  times  I  have  pointed  out  to  you  yonder 
peak  of  the  Old  Man  mountain.  We  call  it  so 
because  its  top  is  the  first  to  whiten  with  the 
snows  of  winter.  I  have  told  you  that  it  was 
there,  as  a  boy,  that  I  looked  for  the  help  of  the 
supernatural  beings.  You  are  shooting  up  like 
the  willows.  You  are  becoming  a  man.  It  is 
time  that  you  look  for  the  voices  of  the  darkness 
and  get  something  that  will  make  you  a  strong 
warrior  and  a  wise  chief.  As  soon  as  the  snows 
melt,  you  must  go  there  and  fast." 

208 


In  the  Springtime  209 

"But,  Father,  will  I  not  be  lost  on  the  trail?" 

"Why  lost?  Have  I  not  many  times  pointed 
out  the  trail  to  the  Old  Man  mountain?" 

"But,  Father,  my  feet  have  not  traveled  it." 

"It  is  well  worn,  my  Son,  and  you  need  not 
lose  your  way.  Feet  as  numberless  as  the  hairs 
upon  my  head  have  marked  the  path." 

"What  shall  I  see  when  I  go  to  the  spirit 
mountain?" 

"Of  that  we  shall  not  talk  now.  When  it  is 
time  that  you  start,  I  will  tell  you  more." 

"Could  Grandfather  tell  me?" 

"Our  friend  from  the  Western  Water  has 
talked  much  with  the  spirits,  and  seen  many 
strange  people  and  their  ways,  but  he  could  not 
tell.  You  will  see.  Every  eye  must  see  for  itself. 
Every  ear  must  hear  for  itself,  every  tongue  must 
speak  for  itself.  Our  words  have  been  enough 
for  today." 

Many  thoughts  came  to  the  mind  of  Kukusim, 
and  at  the  first  opportunity  he  questioned  his 
aged  friend. 

"Grandfather,  when  the  grass  is  green  again, 
I  am  to  visit  the  spirit  mountain  and  fast  for 
visions.  What  will  the  voices  in  the  vision  say 
to  me.  Grandfather?" 

"Grandson,  you  are  asking  me  questions  which 
I  cannot  answer.  I  might  tell  you  what  the 
voices  said  to  me,  but  the  voices  and  the  words 
you  hear  will  not  be  those  which  I  or  any  other 
man  heard." 


210        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

"Tell  me,  Grandfather,  what  they  said  to 
you,"  begged  the  boy. 

"It  is  the  way  of  our  people  not  to  show  our 
heart  to  others,"  the  old  man  explained.  "If  we 
show  the  secrets  of  our  heart,  then  is  our  spir- 
itual strength  broken.  You  are  young  and  the 
thought  is  big,  but  it  is  like  this:  Within  us, 
perhaps  it  is  our  heart,  there  is  something  white 
and  pure,  like  the  snowy  down-feathers  of  the 
eagle.  If  we  drag  this  pure  feather  about  in  the 
sight  of  others,  or  if  we  do  wrong,  the  feather  is 
soiled  and  black,  and  has  no  strength.  It  is  the 
law  of  our  inner  self  that  if  we  take  care  of  this 
feather,  our  footsteps  lead  us  well.  When  you 
have  fasted  on  the  spirit  mountain,  my  words 
will  be  clearer  to  you." 

"Then,  Grandfather,  I  will  wait  and  see," 
answered  Kukusim. 


TO  THE  MOUNTAIN  OF  FASTING 


The  western  winds,  like  a  warm  breath,  swept 
over  the  mountains,  and  the  snow  went  in  a  night. 

Birds  sang  in  the 
trees,  and  the  hills 
became  green  with 
the  gladness  of  a 
new  spring. 

Then  said  Lone 
Pine:  "Today,  my 
Son,  you  go  to  the 
mountain  to  fast. 
I  will  walk  with 
you  a  way,  that 
your  footsteps  start 
well  upon  the  trail." 
As  they  walked, 
K  u  k  u  s  i  m  clasped 
firmly  his  father's 
hand.  He  tried  to 
be  brave,  but  his 
heart  was  filled 
with  a  strange  fore- 
boding. He  felt 
that  he  was  walking 
into  the  land  of  the 
spirits,  and  he  was  almost  afraid.  He  wanted 
to  ask  many  questions,  but  no  words  came  to  his 
lips.  At  length  his  father  halted  and  began  to 
speak  slowly  and  distinctly. 

''All  day  you  will  follow  this  trail,  and  when 

211 


212         Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

the  sun  is  sinking,  you  will  come  to  its  end  on 
the  topmost  peak  of  the  mountain.  There  you 
will  find  a  low  circle  of  stones.  Take  your 
seat  on  the  edge  of  that  circle,  facing  the 
dying  sun.  Watch  until  it  has  gone,  and  watch 
you  in  that  direction  all  through  the  hours  of 
darkness. 

*'When  the  stars  look  down  upon  you,  build  a 
small  fire  to  keep  off  the  wild  animals  that  might 
come  to  harm  you.  With  the  rising  of  the  new 
sun,  go  you  to  the  eastern  side  of  the  circle  and 
watch.  Let  not  your  thoughts  be  of  mother  or 
of  sister,  of  food  or  of  water,  but  closely  watch 
the  sun  as  it  moves  on  its  way. 

*'When  it  has  traveled  half  its  journey,  go  to 
the  south  side  of  the  circle  and  there  watch  until 
it  sinks  to  sleep  again.  Then  once  more  you  will 
sit  as  you  did  the  first  nighty  and  watch  through 
the  darkness. 

"Perhaps  on  this  night  you  will  fall  down  as 
though  dead,  and  you  will  hear  voices,  and  you 
will  see  something  which  looks  like  a  man  but  is 
not  one.  He  will  sing  you  a  song,  which  you  will 
keep  in  your  heart.  To  get  this  song,  is  why  you 
go  into  the  mountains,  and  spend  the  nights  and 
days  without  food. 

"If  on  the  second  night  no  voice  comes  to  you, 
for  another  day  you  will  sit  and  watch  the  mov- 
ing sun,  and  on  the  third  night  watch  again,  as 
on  the  first.  Then  certainly  the  spirit  voices  will 
speak  to  you. 


To  the  Mountain  of  Fasting 


213 


"When  the  third  day  dawns,  take  the  home- 
ward trail.     Perhaps  for  lack  of  food  your  legs 

will  be  weak.  I  will 
come  far  on  the  trail  to 
meet  you,  and  if  your 
strength  is  gone,  my 
arms  will  carry  you. 

"And    when   you    re- 
turn   to    your   mother, 
you  may  have  the  spir- 
its' secrets,  but  you  must 
She  may  ask:  'Did  you  get  a 


not  tell  those. 


song?'  And  you  will  answer:  'Yes,  Mother,  I 
found  a  song.'  But  the  words  you  will  not  tell 
to  her  or  to  any  one.  It  will  be  the  secret  of 
your  own  heart,  until  the  day  you  are  a  man  and 
it  comes  from  your  mouth  at  the  winter  singing 
in  the  long  lodge. 

"Now,  my  Son,  from  here  I  turn  back.  Have 
a  brave  heart,  and  think  well  of  my  words  to  you, 
that  the  spirit  voices  may  be  heard.  For  if  no 
voices  come,  it  is  bad.  Let  not  your  eyes  or 
thoughts  turn  toward  the  camp." 

Then  Lone  Pine  retraced  his  steps,  while  the 
boy  trudged  onward.  Did  tears  come  to  his 
eyes  as  he  walked  on  alone  through  the  forest? 
Perhaps  they  did.  But  they  were  more  of  emo- 
tion than  of  fear.  Yet  what  child  might  not  well 
be  filled  with  dread?  He  was  alone  in  the  fast- 
ness of  the  mountains.  The  voices  of  the  bear, 
the  cougar,  and  the  lynx  sounded  through  the 


214        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

forest,  and  the  howl  of  the  wolf  would  make  dis- 
mal the  night.  Alone,  he  was  going  through  the 
haunts  of  wild  beasts  and  toward  the  home  of 
spirit  beings  with  forms  more  fearful  than  that 
of  bear  or  cougar. 


THE  FAST 

When  three  nights  had  passed,  Lone  Pine 
was  early  on  the  trail  to  the  mountain-top.  His 
heart  was  anxious  for  his  son. 

Half-way  up  the  mountain  they  met.  The 
boy's  step  was  weak,  his  face  thin  and  pinched, 
but  his  eyes  told  of  victory.  He  tried  to  run  to 
his  father's  outstretched  arms,  and  as  they  closed 
about  him  he  whispered:    "I  heard  the  voices!" 

Then  all  the  world  was  dark,  and  he  lay  limp 
in  his  father's  arms. 

"It  is  well,"  murmured  the  chief.  "Now  my 
son  has  spirit  powder." 

Carefully  the  mother  of  Kukiisim  fed  him  and 
nursed  him  back  to  strength;  but  she  asked  no 
questions.  Well  she  knew  that  his  thoughts  were 
his  own.  His  strength  returned  quickly,  and 
scarcely  more  than  a  week  after  his  vigil,  return- 
ing from  the  morning  swim,  he  said:  "Grand- 
father, let  us  go  to  the  forest.  It  is  many  days 
since  you  have  told  me  stories  of  long  ago." 

"Shall  we  take  Scarf  ace?" 

"No,  Grandfather,  today  we  want  no  ears  but 
our  own." 

Their  seat  was  beneath  a  great  tree  growing 
close  to  an  overhanging  cliff. 

"Grandfather,"  began  Kukiisim,  "when  you 
were  a  boy  did  you  go  into  the  mountains  to 
fast?" 

"Not  as  you  did.  Grandson.  There  are  many 
ways  for  boys  and  young  men  to  fast,  and  some 

215 


216        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 

day  I  will  tell  you  what  I  can  of  these  ways.  But 
today  my  boy  wants  to  talk.  I  see  that  his  heart 
wishes  to  speak." 

"Grandfather,  there  is  much  about  my  jour- 
ney to  the  mountain-top  which  you  know  I  can- 
not tell,  but  as  to  other  things  there  is  no  law 
that  closes  my  lips." 

"It  is  true.  Grandson.  Your  heart  is  full,  and 
there  are  many  things  of  which  you  can  speak 
freely." 

"When  my  father  turned  back  and  left  me 
alone,"  said  the  boy,  "my  heart  was  very  sick, 
and  I  wished  that  I  were  at  home  in  the  camp, 
where  I  could  hear  voices.  Far  away  seemed  the 
mountain-top,  and  weary  grew  my  legs.  But  at 
last  I  came  to  the  very  top.  Then  I  tried  to  see 
the  camp  of  our  people,  but  could  not.  From  the 
village  I  could  plainly  see  the  mountain-top,  but 
from  the  mountain  I  could  not  see  our  lodges. 

"Now  I  remembered  my  father's  words:  to  sit 
and  look  at  the  sun  as  it  sank  from  sight.  Not 
long  did  I  have  to  wait  until  it  went  down  behind 
the  trees.  Then  truly  my  heart  was  heavy.  I 
took  not  my  eyes  from  the  place  where  the  sun 
went  from  sight,  and  before  I  knew  it  the  stars 
began  to  look  down  on  me. 

"Then,  as  my  father  had  ordered,  I  built  a  fire. 
Much  wood  I  carried,  that  my  fire  might  burn 
through  the  night,  the  dark  night.  Now  I  sat 
and  looked  toward  the  west,  where  the  sun  had 
disappeared. 


The  Fast  217 


The  Salish  camp 

"Grandfather,  I  thought  the  night  was  quiet 
in  the  mountains  and  the  woods.  But  it  was  not 
quiet  there  on  the  mountain-top.  I  heard  sounds 
in  the  grass,  strange  noises  in  the  air.  In  the 
edge  of  the  forest  close  by  me  were  sounds  big 
and  httle.  I  heard  footsteps  come  close,  and  in 
the  darkness  the  eyes  of  an  animal  shone  like 
coals  of  fire. 

"An  owl  sat  in  a  tree  and  kept  saying,  'Hoo, 
hoo!'  At  first  I  did  not  think  of  an  owl.  I 
thought  a  spirit  was  speaking  to  me,  and  I  asked, 
'Who  are  you?'  But  the  only  reply  was,  'Hoo, 
hoof 

"Then  heavy,  slow  footsteps  came  through 
the  woods,  and  I  thought,  'Do  the  spirits  walk 
so  heavily?' 

"I  saw  two  glowing  eyes,  and  my  flesh  was 
cold  as  ice.  I  thrcAv  a  stick  of  wood  on  the  fire, 
and  there  was  a  snort  and  a  loud  crashing  in  the 
brush,  and  I  knew  it  was  only  a  bear.  All  night 
I  watched,  and  there  was  so  much  to  think  of 
that  I  forgot  I  had  had  no  food  and  no  sleep. 


218        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


The  Thunder  Bird 

"When  the  stars  faded,  I  went  to  the  other 
side  and  watched  for  the  sun  to  come.  First  the 
sky  was  gray,  like  the  fur  of  a  rabbit.  Then  it 
grew  red,  like  the  flames  of  the  burning  prairie. 
The  great  round  ball  of  fire  broke  out  of  the 
earth  and  started  on  its  journey  across  the  sky. 
At  first  it  went  very  fast,  then  more  slowly.  I 
thought  of  home,  and  how  all  were  gathered  at 
breakfast,  and  I  wished  I  were  there. 

"Soon  the  sun  went  from  sight,  Grandfather, 
Black  clouds  hid  its  face.  The  clouds  roared, 
and  I  knew  that  the  father  Thunder  Bird  was 
flying.  Then  came  rain,  and  I  was  cold.  But  in 
a  little  while  the  clouds  flew  away  and  the  sun 
looked  upon  me.  Again  I  was  glad,  for  it 
warmed  me. 

"And  now  it  was  time  to  sit  at  the  south. 

"When  again  the  sun  sank  in  the  west,  I  built 
my  little  fire,  and  while  the  stars  looked  down 
upon  me  I  heard  again  the  sounds  of  the  forest. 


The  Fast  219 

But  all  the  time  my  mind  was  upon  the  stories  of 
visions  and  of  songs.  Then  I  fell  asleep,  and 
dreamed  of  many  things  you  had  told  me,  and  of 
places  I  had  seen.  I  dreamed  it  was  winter,  and 
that  I  was  sleeping  in  the  cold  and  the  snow. 
My  eyes  opened,  and  I  saw  that  my  fire  had 
died  so  low  that  my  body  was  cold. 

"Then  I  heard  sounds,  and  my  blood  chilled, 
for  beyond  the  dying  fire  were  balls  of  light,  the 
eyes  of  many  animals.  My  heart  stood  still,  but 
quickly  I  threw  fuel  on  the  fire,  and  as  the  blaze 
flashed  up  there  was  a  patter  of  many  feet  slink- 
ing away.  By  the  sound  I  knew  they  were 
wolves.  Soon  their  howls  made  the  rocks  ring. 
I  think  they  were  sorry  they  had  not  had  me  for 
supper. 

"Once  more  the  owl  called,  'Hoo,  hoo!'  and  I 
waited  for  the  spirits  to  come,  but  heard  them 
not.  Soon  the  stars  grew  gray,  and  the  voices 
of  the-  forest  were  stilled.     Then  I  knew  it  was 

time  to  go  to  the  east 
and  watch  for  the  ris- 
ing sun. 

"Day  broke,  and  the 
warm  rays  of  the  sun 
closed  my  eyes  in  sleep. 
When  they  opened,  the 
sun  had  almost  made 
its  journey,  and  I  was 
sorry  I  had  slept  so  long.  Perhaps  the  spirits 
had  come  close  and  I  had  not  seen  them. 


220        Indian  Days  of  the  Long  Ago 


The  approach  of  the  spirits 

"  'Tonight/  I  resolved,  'I  will  not  sleep,  for 
surely  the  spirits  will  come  close.' 

"Once  more  I  kindled  my  fire.  While  I  gath- 
ered fuel,  my  legs  had  little  strength,  but  I  did 
not  feel  hungry  as  I  had  felt  on  the  first  day. 
With  full  darkness  came  the  far-away  howl  of 
wolves,  and  thinking  they  would  come  again  to 
get  me  for  food,  I  made  my  fire  big. 

"I  remembered  the  words  of  my  father:  to 
keep  looking  toward  the  place  where  the  sun 
went  from  sight,  for  it  was  there  I  should  see 
something.  And  all  the  time  I  knew  I  must 
keep  awake.  Long  I  watched  a  certain  star.  It 
danced  before  me.  It  seemed  to  come  close.  I 
thought  I  heard  voices.  They  were  far  away, 
and  I  could  not  distinguish  them  except  as  dis- 
tant singing.  The  singing  became  plainer,  and 
I  felt  something  close  beside  me. 

*'I  was  not  sitting  up.  I  had  fallen  over  as 
though  asleep.    But  it  was  not  sleep,  for  I  could 


The  Fast  221 

hear  singing,  as  of  all  the  warriors  of  the  Salish, 
only  very  far  away. 

"Then  there  was  a  rushing  sound  in  the  air, 
and  the  trees  of  the  forest  swung  their  arms  and 
groaned.  A  man  stood  beside  me.  No,  it  was 
not  a  man,  for  he  walked  like  a  great  bird,  an 
eagle,  and  flapped  his  wings.  He  stood  closer, 
and  I  could  not  move.  He  picked  me  up,  and 
we  soared  away  through  the  clouds  over  the 
mountain-tops.  He  alighted  upon  a  crag,  and 
again  I  heard  the  singing  voices,  and  the  man 
who  had  carried  me  now  led  me  to  them.  There 
came  great  flashes  of  light.  The  ground  shook 
with  the  anger  of  fighting  monsters. 

"Then  I  felt  the  cold  rain  beat  upon  me.  The 
stars  were  hidden,  the  fire  was  dead  with  the 
falling  water.  But  I  was  happy,  for  I  had  heard 
the  singing  of  the  spirits. 

"Grandfather,  that  is  all  I  can  tell  now.  That 
is  my  story." 

"Grandson,  it  is  a  good  story,"  replied  the  old 
man.  "Truly  you  have  talked  with  the  spirits. 
When  you  are  a  man,  you  will  fast  again  and 
then  you  will  know  what  power  the  singing  voices 
gave  you." 

Long  the  two  sat  silent  under  the  great  pine. 
The  sun  sank,  darkness  fell,  and  in  the  near 
distance  shone  the  twinkling  fires  of  the  camp. 

THE  END 


The  vision 


The  above  is  an  illustration  from  a  new  book  by 
the  same  author,  uniform  with  "Indian  days  of 
the  long  ago."  It  will  be  entitled  "In  the  days 
of  Vancouver,"  and  will  be  issued  by  the  same 
publishers.  World  Book  Company,  Yonkers-on- 
Hudson,  New  York. 


ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 

Renewals  and  Recharges  may  be  made  4  days  prior  to  the  due  date. 

Books  may  be  Renewed  by  calling        642-3405  


DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 


R^ 


: C 


iVED 


III!  n  1  1996 


;|RCULATiON  OFPT. 


M  Z  b  H^^ 


FORM  NO.  DD6 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY 
BERKELEY,  CA  94720  ^^^ 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


CD2EflD32aM 


